Overview

• Verbraucherzentrale Hessen issued a public alert on September 8 about a rise in fraudulent accounts on social networks and messenger services.
• Criminals increasingly pose as well-known personalities to market supposed investments or health and lifestyle products.
• A recent case in Hanau involved bogus Instagram profiles of Mayor Claus Kaminsky that steered users into WhatsApp investment groups offering paid tips.
• Warning signs include new or sparsely active accounts, unusual spellings with numbers or symbols, rapid or odd responses, outsized profit claims, and requests to transfer money to unknown accounts.
• The consumer authority advises ending communication immediately, reporting the profile to the platform, and filing a police complaint if needed.