Beware of fraud: How to recognize dubious payment requests!

Beware of fraud: How to recognize dubious payment requests!

Consumers should always be skeptical when unexpected payment requests arrive. These are often initiated by fraudsters who use various tricks to get people's money. An effective way to detect fraudulent intentions early on is to simply check your IBAN. The first two letters of the IBAN, which indicate the country code, are particularly important for verification. German IBANs begin with “DE”, French ones with “FR” and British ones with “GB”.

An overview of the most common country codes shows that German IBANs consist of a total of 22 digits, while, for example, the IBANs from Austria have 20 digits and those from Switzerland have 21 digits. Alarm bells should ring when payment requests come from countries such as Turkey (country code “TR”) or the Central African Republic (country code “CF”), as reputable German companies usually use bank accounts with well-known German credit institutions. The Brandenburg Consumer Center also maintains a blacklist for fraudulent accounts, which is updated regularly.

Warning signs and debt collection demands

Before paying an unexpected debt, you should take a deposit and consult the consumer advice center's black list. It is expressly recommended that consumers should verify the legitimacy of the claims before transferring funds. Debt collection letters can put enormous pressure on recipients, even if the demands may be justified. The key here is to remain calm and clarify whether the amounts requested are correct.

In addition, the consumer advice center offers a free online debt collection check, which helps consumers check the legitimacy of claims and provides recommended sample letters for objections. These services should definitely be used to avoid unnecessary payments, especially if the payment is directed to foreign accounts.

Tips to avoid scams

• Prüfen Sie die IBAN und achten Sie auf den Ländercode.
• Sehen Sie von Zahlungen an Konten ab, die in der Schwarzliste verzeichnet sind.
• Nutzen Sie offizielle Kommunikationswege und konsultieren Sie die Verbraucherzentrale.
• Lassen Sie sich nicht unter Druck setzen – bleiben Sie besonnen.
• Sehen Sie von Kontaktaufnahmen mit aufgeführten Firmen in der Schwarzliste ab.

Even if fraudsters try to present themselves as legitimate through German bank accounts, it is important not to rely solely on the IBAN country code. A comprehensive check and healthy skepticism can be crucial to avoid financial losses. To better understand fraud cases, consumers should read the articles Ruhr24 and chip follow carefully.