Caution! Fraudsters steal money with fake emails from Würzburg

Caution! Fraudsters steal money with fake emails from Würzburg

In the last few days, the University of Würzburg has warned of attempted fraud spread through fake emails. These emails claim to come from the university and promise potential victims jobs and apartments. The notices often request an upfront payment to secure these positions. The university has stressed that it would never ask for cash transfers for job offers. Recipients of such emails are asked to ignore them and report incidents to the university to avoid further harm. The email address for questions about authenticity is job-scamming@uni-wuerzburg.de. She appeals to recipients to be vigilant and protect themselves from such fraud attempts, reports uni-wuerzburg.de.

In addition to the fraud attempts at the University of Würzburg, other phishing attacks are also circulating. On the same day, consumer advice centers announced that emails were being sent that allegedly came from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK). These messages urge companies to update their data due to alleged incomplete information. Typical characteristics of these phishing emails include dubious sender addresses, impersonal salutations and pressing deadlines. The consumer advice centers advise putting these emails in the spam folder and showing suspicion when it comes to colorful links. Companies that are unsure about similar requests should find out more directly on the IHK's official websites, it says consumerzentrale.de.

Fraud cases and their effects

In the context of the increase in fraud attempts, it is important to note that the topic of cybercrime remains highly relevant in society. The Cybersecurity Monitor 2024 shows that 24 percent of those surveyed have already been victims of cybercrime. Although this is a slight decrease compared to the previous year, the risk for Internet users remains high. What is particularly worrying is that 44 percent of those affected have experienced some form of fraud, be it through online banking, identity theft or online shopping. Additionally, the survey indicates that 15 percent of respondents were victims of phishing, which makes dealing with digital content seem even more risky bsi.bund.de explained.

Another worrying trend is the rise in careless use of the Internet, particularly among young people. 68 percent of 16 to 22 year olds rate their risk of being affected by a crime as low. This often happens without considering the risks and necessary protective measures. The Cybersecurity Monitor documents that the majority of respondents employ an average of 3.9 different security measures. Nevertheless, the figures show that these measures are declining compared to the previous year; A quarter of those surveyed feel their security is adequately protected. When consolidating the data, it becomes clear that there is a need for increased awareness of cybercrime, especially in the digital world.