Police catch phishers red-handed shopping with stolen bank card
On Tuesday, the Bruges Police received four reports of the so-called trick with ‘false bank employees’. A fake bank employee calls the alleged victim that something is wrong with the bank card, whereupon the bank announces that it will send someone to collect the card and then make it unusable. During the telephone conversation or during the visit of that fake bank employee, the code is stolen.
The fraudsters take the bank card and use it to make purchases or withdraw money.
Distrust
Shortly after the reports, a salesperson from a shop in Bruges’ B-park called the police yesterday afternoon to report that they had received some suspicious customers. It was striking that without much hesitation they bought a lot of electronic devices. That mistrust turned out to be justified a little later when the customers returned to the store that same evening and wanted to make purchases again.
The clerk did not hesitate for a second, called the Bruges police, whereupon two suspects were caught red-handed and arrested. The duo had one of the bank cards of a victim who filed a report in the morning. So the puzzle was quickly put together.
Bigger thing
“It is now up to the Bruges Public Prosecutor’s Office to take further steps,” the police said. In the meantime, she is trying to map other facts from the past few weeks and see whether the same suspects can also be linked to them.
Finally, the police give a tip: “Be extra vigilant when the bank calls, requests your code and sends someone over. Bank employees never just go to people’s homes. Calling the police is the only good reflex.”