Fraud: pensioner from the district of forchheim threatened

The pensioner from wimmelbach is simply afraid that the sender of the threatening letter will visit her at home, as announced. That’s why she doesn’t like to read her name in the newspaper and why she is having the windows of her apartment made burglar-proof. But she wants to warn others. Actually, the 65-year-old only wanted to sell a baroque upholstered set and another piece of furniture.

Offered on the internet

In several groups and pages, also on the facebook marketplace, she therefore advertised. "It’s not furniture that finds a wide range of buyers," explains the pensioner, the woman from wimmelbach explains her actions. In fact, a foreign family came to see the piece of furniture and bought it. "They had not even negotiated and were very nice", says the pensioner. Then came from another interested party a return message on the baroque tapestry sofa, with the request by private message to give the address, because he wanted to buy the sofa at the offered price of 690 euros. The interested party wrote in german, but also had a foreign name.

Although she is by nature rather reluctant to disclose personal data, she had no choice but to give her address and e-mail address, the woman says. Since the first sale was so uncomplicated, the pensioner was not suspicious.

Transportation costs follow

The interested party wanted to have the sofa picked up by a pick-up service, when, she was informed by e-mail, which is why she should regularly check her electronic mailbox.

In fact, a letter was received shortly afterwards, in a language that the pensioner did not understand. "I could only read 790 euro", tells the wimmelbacherin, which also communicated to the interested party. "He explained that 100 euros was intended as shipping insurance for the transport company ‘fedex-express’", says the pensioner. She was supposed to transfer these 100 euros to the interested party, who would pay fedex.

",not with me friend’, i thought to myself and refused", explains the woman from wimmelbach. But shortly afterwards a threatening letter arrived by mail.

This had been compiled from photos from the internet, the wimmelbacherin tells. Police officers with heavy protection are pictured, for example. The threatening message was just as confusing.

The pensioner should pay and in addition in the supermarket a number code buy. If the money was not received within 100 hours, security officers would come and arrest her. He also cooperates with the french gendarmerie.

"I went to the police", explains the pensioner, who had then also told acquaintances about it. One of them had a similar experience. She also refused to pay.

But then alleged fedex employees were standing in front of their house. When the acquaintance went into the house, but the alleged employees disappeared again. The fact that the wimmelbacherin is now experiencing the same situation and is being visited by employees is her main concern and causes her fear. "You hear again and again that people are beaten down even for five euros", says the pensioner.

CID investigates

In the meantime, the case is being handled by the criminal investigation department in bamberg, reports tobias dorfler, press spokesman at the police prasidium in upper franconia. The good thing about this case: "there are always investigation approaches via internet platforms. It’s worth filing a complaint", dorfler explains that blackmailing or threats via the internet leave traces that can be followed up on.

"Internet fraud is relatively common", he confirms. All platforms are used for this purpose. "As a matter of principle, one should always be cautious when disclosing personal data", says the police spokesman. If this cannot be avoided, as in this case, and it then comes to blackmail and threats, the person concerned should go to the police.

"If we do not learn of this trap, we will not be able to investigate", says dorfler. However, the people concerned should not be afraid to call 911 if they are threatened or if they see suspicious people in the vicinity of the apartment. "No one will be framed if it turns out to be the new neighbor", emphasizes dorfler.

Feedback from facebook is missing

The pensioner at any rate hopes that she will be left alone by the threatening letter writers. She has blocked the strange buyer and reported the incident to facebook, but has not received any feedback so far.