Beware of a new scam attempt through DHL mail
A media report in Germany has revealed a new scam targeting DHL customers, where citizens receive fake messages attributed to "Gerichtsvollzieher" (the judicial officer) demanding immediate payment of large sums of money. The scammers use official-looking packages, sealed and signed, and include accurate personal data such as the victim's name and bank account number, giving the documents a very official appearance.
In one case, a 67-year-old retiree from the city of Bitterfeld received a text message on his phone from a party claiming to be DHL, stating that a seizure order from the "Obergerichtsvollzieher" (senior judicial officer) was on its way to him. The next day, the man found an elegant envelope containing colored documents, sealed and stamped with a signature, claiming that he was required to pay 1000 euros due to his alleged participation in a telephone lottery for which he had not settled his dues.
The documents were fake, but the professional presentation almost fooled the victim, were it not for his previous experience as a banker, as he discovered after scrutinizing some suspicious details, such as using a mobile phone number instead of the official office number, linguistic errors, an unofficial email address, and the use of a foreign account number.
Official authorities confirm the increase in these cases. "Daniela Merke" from the bailiffs' association in Sachsen-Anhalt warns that scammers have become more professional, and advises citizens not to pay any amounts without verifying the identity of the bailiff, especially since each bailiff only works within their area and uses official data.
Bailiffs provide services for the enforcement of court judgments, debt recovery, and the seizure of assets in case of non-payment, but they do not send payment requests in this way or through shipping companies. The press office of the Köln court, in cooperation with "Verbraucherzentrale" (Consumer Protection Center), advises several steps when receiving suspicious messages from "Gerichtsvollzieher": Stay calm and do not rush to pay. Check the sender's name, phone number, and email address. Ensure that the bailiff works in the same city. Contact the court directly and do not use the number provided in the message. Examine the bank account number and ensure that it starts with "DE" as is customary for German accounts.
In the case of the man from Bitterfeld, the scammers tried to threaten him with closing his bank account, but he did not yield and went to the police to file a report. Experts point out that using expensive parcels instead of emails aims to increase the credibility of the fraud, meaning that the scammers find this method financially viable. At the same time, fraudulent emails are still widespread, such as those impersonating Sparkasse.