– Recently, Wrocław police officers have been investigating SMS messages containing fake links. One Wrocław resident received an SMS asking him to pay PLN 3.46 for electricity – reports Staff Sergeant Paweł Noga from the Municipal Police Headquarters in Wrocław. – The low amount did not arouse any suspicion, and, unaware of the danger, he clicked the fake link in the message. Unfortunately, at that moment the fraudsters gained unauthorized access to the victim’s bank account. They then generated BLIK codes and withdrew funds, causing losses amounting to PLN 51,000.
Intensive operational work by police officers from the Department for Combating Economic Crime led to the arrest of the 22-year-old man responsible for the scheme. Several thousand złotys and eight mobile phones were found at his place of residence. The resident of Wrocław County was arrested and taken to police custody.
The court subsequently remanded the suspect in custody for three months. The young man faces up to eight years in prison.
Police:
We appeal to the public and warn against fake SMS messages. These messages may contain a request for an additional payment for electricity or gas, but they may also be SMS messages from people impersonating, for example, courier companies.
They add:
If we have any doubts about the authenticity of the correspondence received, we should verify it by calling—as in the case described, for example—the electricity supplier. An employee will tell us whether we actually have outstanding payments and whether it is necessary to pay the amount specified in the SMS.