Fraudsters rob companies search for victims in Austria

Fraudsters rob companies: search for victims in Austria

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Of . – 08/19/2022 10:51 (act 08/19/2022 14:46)

The Federal Criminal Police and the police are looking for victims and witnesses of fraud in international investments.

The Federal Criminal Police and the police are looking for victims and witnesses of fraud in international investments. ©AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Archive

The Federal Criminal Police supports the German authorities in the transnational search for victims and witnesses in cases of fraud in international investments. Victims from Austria are wanted.

The damage is in the tens of millions. West Palatinate Police Headquarters and the Kaiserslautern Prosecutor’s Office ask for support in finding victims and possible witnesses in case of large-scale investment fraud. Given that this is an international and organized group of perpetrators, it is very likely that there are victims and/or witnesses in Austria as well.

The perpetrators pretended to be Arab investors

In 2020 and 2021, an organized criminal group posed as representatives of alleged Arab investors to companies in need of financing capital and looking for financiers (United Arab Emirates). In order to suggest legitimacy to entrepreneurs – the later victims – these pseudo-investors were associated with false company names that deliberately resembled real companies (name similarities to existing real companies are deliberately used in this widespread fraud mode). Investment amounts As a result, victims were manipulated into making various upfront payments to representatives of these alleged investors. The authors stated that these payments were necessary as a guarantee or to boost future investments (travel expenses, fees, expert opinions, insurance
coverage, shares).

Pseudoinvestors have indicated connections with fake companies

The false company names used by the pseudo-investors in the present case were:

Victims paid to Emirates NBD Bank

Victim payments were made to Emirates NBD Bank

  • for “EIN International” (EIN) accounts (IBAN: AE930260001012218835501) or
  • for “Alsediq Commercial Broker” accounts (other spellings: Alsedeq/Alsedq) (IBAN: AE530260001012279727001)

Victims found in US, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe

So far, German investigative authorities have managed to locate victims in the US, Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe. The amount of damage currently known amounts to around ten million euros, with the number of unreported cases, according to the principal investigator, much higher.

Victims of wanted investment fraudsters in Austria

Due to the method used, it is very likely that there are also victims of this investment fraud in Austria. At the request of the Public Ministry of Kaiserslautern and the Public Ministry of Vienna, the Federal Criminal Police publishes the search for victims and witnesses throughout Austria. Searched Tips:

  • How was the contact made?
  • Who was in contact with the alleged investors?
  • Who made the payments to the alleged investors?

Information on victims and witnesses requested from Kaiserslautern Police

Contact for tips: The notes take the Kaiserslautern Police under Telephone 0049 631 369 2620 and for the e-mail at [email protected].

This is how you can detect and prevent fraud

Investment fraud and investment fraud forms of fraud are now among the most common offenses across the world. With these crimes, companies and individuals are lured with promises of high profit or investment. The aim of scammers is for victims to transfer large sums of money in advance by falsifying various fees and the like. Perpetrators regularly encounter their victims on the Internet, which is why extreme caution is advised when it comes to trading and investment platforms that are in vogue, but the Internet in general.

Police fraud tips

The following general tips may be helpful:

  • If they are offered quick money or great chances to win, the probability is very high that they are fraudsters.
  • Search the Internet for warnings or complaints about supposedly profitable platforms or companies, for example: Internet Watchlist, search engine results pages.
  • In the case of trading or trading platforms, make sure there is a corresponding license from the Financial Market Authority (FMA) and check if there is already an FMA notice about this platform or the operating companies! Information and consultation options can be found in the News Archive – FMA Austria
  • Take a look at the trading platform: Is there a brand? Can a responsible person be contacted by phone? Do you take the time to explain the business model to yourself? If these points don’t apply, stay away from the store.
  • Read the terms and conditions! Are these conclusive and serious?
  • If you are contacted immediately after making your first deposit and asked for more money, please do not pay any further amounts.
  • Sometimes credit card payments can be canceled within three weeks and payments can be recovered.
  • If you have already suffered any damage, be sure to report it to the nearest police station. Your cooperation is of fundamental importance to investigate possible perpetrators and recover payments made. Report the matter also to the FMA.