The police warn against online fraud, a woman in Salzburg lost 10,000 euros
A 50-year-old woman from the Flachgau region in Salzburg lost more than 10,000 euros after falling victim to a sophisticated online scam. On July 9, she was contacted by unknown individuals who claimed to be employees of her bank and informed her of "suspicious transactions" on her bank account.
The scammers asked her to allow them access to her computer to analyze her bank account, under the pretext of enhancing security. The lady responded to the request and granted them access, which enabled them to reach her banking data.
After that, following instructions from the scammers, she took several steps within the online banking service, which ultimately led to the withdrawal of an amount exceeding 10,000 euros from her account.
The Austrian police issued a strict warning, confirming that banking institutions never request login data or passwords via phone or remote control, nor do they ask for cooperation in conducting electronic transactions.
And advised citizens not to share their sensitive banking information over the phone, not to install remote control software at the request of a third party, to communicate directly with the bank or police if there is any suspicion, and to file an immediate report if fraud is suspected.