31st of March 2026

Warning about current scams

Unfortunately, the scams we have warned about in the past are still occurring frequently. We want to particularly highlight fraud attempts at second-hand platforms such as Vinted. Additionally, there has recently been a rise in fraudulent calls from fake "bank employees", who may contact you using spoofed (fake) phone numbers or names. Please read the warnings about these scams in detail so that you are prepared should you encounter them.
 

 1. Beware of Fraud on Second-Hand Platforms

Second-hand platforms such as Vinted, willhaben, Shpock or eBay continue to be in the focus of cyber-criminals. As outlined in our warning from last year, newly registered sellers are contacted by criminals via the platform's integrated chat function. and ask to provide an email address or telephone number in order to shift communication away from the (secure) platform and towards email or WhatsApp.

If you follow this request, you receive an email with a link to a "sales processing” page. This link leads to a fake website in the design of the sales platform, on which it is claimed that the seller's bank account still needs to be "verified". However, the only purpose of this phishing page is to obtain your confidential information and your authorisation via George ID or s Identity.

Therefore, be very careful if:

• Prospective buyers contact you very quickly
• If you are asked for your email address or telephone number to complete a purchase
• If you are asked to carry out "test transactions" or to "verify your bank account"

How can you protect yourself?

• If you are new to a sales platform, read the information about the purchase process on the website of the respective sales platform - this way you’ll be in the know and can quickly spot suspicious requests
• Do not authorise transactions or transfers that you have not started yourself.
• On every authorisation, check precisely what is being authorised - read more in our security tips.

2. Beware of Fraudulent Calls with Fake Numbers

Fraudulent calls from fake "bank employees" are currently on the rise again. Using technical tricks such as caller ID spoofing, the criminals can also fake our landline phone number - so don't be fooled by a possibly familiar phone number or our name on your display!

These calls are often preceded by a phishing text message, e.g. in the name of “Finanz Online”: If you respond to the SMS and disclose your data, the criminals will use this information in their calls to convincingly pose as bank employees.

During these calls, the alleged “bank employees” explain that someone has managed to access your online banking and has made fraudulent transactions. Furthermore, they claim that these transactions now must be "cancelled" by you.

What is actually happening

• Actually, these calls do not come from us. In reality, these are fraud attempts.

• By asking for your user number on the phone and urging you to make ill-considered authorisations or by using remote access software, the perpetrators try to log in to George on your behalf.

• If the fraudsters succeed in logging in in this way, they then prepare outgoing transfers.

• The goal of the criminals is to trick you into rashly authorising their prepared transactions.

How you can protect yourself

• Ignore such text messages, especially if they contain links.

• Be vigilant and, if in doubt, simply end the call and do not follow any requests for logins, transfers or alleged "cancellations".

• Never give strangers access to your computer or smartphone.

• Always check precisely what you authorise: As explained here, we never ask for authorisations from our customers to "cancel" or "retrieve" fraudulent transfers.

• Therefore, pay close attention to what you are authorising and only authorise what you have started yourself.

• If in doubt, use our 24/7 Support ("Contact" in your app) – this will guarantee that you reach a trustworthy employee from us.

Further information on this scam can be found at Watchlist Internet (German).