The “grandchild trick” is a widespread scam that the police have been warning about for some time. Now even an information campaign has been launched to protect citizens.
Originally, scammers used the so-called “grandchild trick” mainly via phone calls, but now they also use the scam via SMS and WhatsApp. That is why the State Police Inspectorate (LPI) Jena has now launched an information campaign to warn against fraud via WhatsApp.
WhatsApp status is designed to protect against grandchildren trick fraud
The LPI Jena last week in a press release Images provided to sensitize WhatsApp users to the grandchild trick, like the news portal “Inside Digitalreported. The authority wants to focus on prevention and asks users: “Please load the attached templates into your status and make an important contribution to informing and warning your contacts about messenger fraud.” The aim is to “multiplier effects”. by having younger people warn their older relatives and acquaintances about the scam.
Two images are included in the material provided. The first template warns directly in capital letters “Caution. Messenger Scam.” and includes a sample message intended to show how the scammers plan to make contact. They usually address their victims as “Mom and Dad” and want them to save their “new” phone number and respond with a message. The second template explains how to proceed in this case. First of all, users should not save the number, but check the already known number to see whether it is still in use. If users are asked to transfer money, the police advise them to use the “www.polizei-beratung.de‘ for more information.
So if you see the above images with the police as the sender in the WhatsApp statuses of your contacts in the coming days, rest easy. It’s just a prevention campaign. However, users can take this as an opportunity to proactively warn relatives and contacts about the grandchild trick – and use the police footage as support.
This is how the grandchild trick works on WhatsApp
The classic grandchild trick has been around for years. Scammers look in the phone book for first names that indicate an old person. Then you call the pensioners, pretend to be a grandson or granddaughter and want money. An emergency situation is often played out and psychological pressure is exerted on the elderly.
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With WhatsApp, the grandchild trick is even more difficult to see through and is therefore not only aimed at supposed grandparents, but also at parents. Potential victims now receive a message that begins with: “Hello mom, I have a new number…”. This is reported by the Police in North Rhine-Westphalia. The message, which begins harmlessly, always ends with a request for a money transfer.
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Cases are currently increasing
Even if the scam has been around for a few months and has been repeatedly warned, the cases seem to be increasing again. TECHBOOK also has a case. The course of the conversation shows how well the scammers react to any conversations that may arise.
According to the scammer, he’s texting from a new number because the phone fell down the toilet, so a completely realistic scenario. A normal conversation unfolds, in which the fraudster responds to the questions of the person concerned, so that at first no suspicion arises. The demand for money only comes after a few messages and results from the mobile phone loss. Allegedly, some bills have to be paid, which is not possible due to the lost data. The psychological pressure here is expressed in messages like “I’m really ashamed to ask that…”. Also typical are increases like “I really need your help” or “I don’t know who else to turn to”.
The best protection from the mesh
First of all, you should always be careful with messages that want to inform you about a number change. Namely, WhatsApp has a built-in feature that lets you know when one of your contacts changes numbers.
Another way to protect yourself from the rip-off with the grandchild trick on WhatsApp is also very simple. Only save the new number and only answer after you have contacted the old number. So it is best to call the current number that you have from the person concerned and clarify the matter personally. If you don’t have children, you can block the number directly.