Fraudsters want to steal money and data – play with fear
The AOK Sachsen-Anhalt warns of a fraud method with which criminals are currently trying to steal not only data but even money from their victims. Not only those insured with the AOK are affected and the range of calls is now expanding. GIGA names the known facts.
So-called “phishing” is usually about gaining bank or Internet access data. In the meantime, however, even address data with account details are worth real money in criminal circles. With this method, the callers pretend to be official bodies, companies or officials in order to gain the trust of their victims. The method now published by the AOK deals with alleged gaps in coverage in health and long-term care insurance.
What are the AOK fraud calls about?
- The callers pretend to be AOK employees or other health insurance companies.
- Various Cell phone numbers displayed.
- The victims are asked, for example, whether they have a Get a bonus payment of 1,000 euros should have and should in this context provide your account details.
- In other call flows, callers claim that the insurance cover has expired be or the Classification in certain care levels is incorrect.
- What all calls have in common is that requested a lot of personal data become. In addition to information on insurance and to Account details the callers also want something for current state of health knowledge.
- In other cases it is even claimed that insurance coverage will be provided immediately a sum of money is to be paidthat an employee wants to pick up.
- Some of the calls sound like Announcements and sometimes the callers have too foreign accents.
Experience so far suggests that someone is building up a collection of data on the subject of health insurance, which will then be used in a later follow-up campaign for further telephone acquisitions. Such verified data is of great value in the relevant scene.
How should one behave?
The press spokeswoman for AOK Sachsen-Anhalt, Anna Mahler, recommends hanging up immediately in this case. It expressly points out that AOK employees do not request such information.
She also asks not only to inform the health insurance company about these calls, but also to report them to the police. It is advisable to make a few notes, including the (presumably fake) number of the caller and the time of the call.
If the callers ask for money, you should contact the police as soon as possible in order to possibly set a trap for the pickers. In no case should you play the hero in the situation and try to catch the crooks yourself.
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