Leipzig police have warned that fraud by phone is rising across the area covered by the Polizeidirektion Leipzig (the regional police authority). According to the Leipziger Internet Zeitung, which published the police notice, criminals posing as bank or PayPal staff have caused losses of more than 2.5 million euros since June 2026.
What happened
The notice appears in the “Polizeimelder” section of the Leipziger Internet Zeitung. The paper states that this section carries third-party material that is not edited or fact-checked by its editors, so the claims below are the police’s own account.
The police say that since mid-year there has been a cluster of fraud cases in which offenders pretend to be bank employees. Cases involving fake “PayPal” staff are also increasing. The notice says a fraud only the day before had brought an unknown offender a four-figure sum.
The first method starts with a call from a “spoofed” number. Spoofed numbers are fake numbers produced by software, so the call appears to come from your own bank. The caller says an action must be confirmed in the online banking app. The victim then receives a push notification and confirms it. In other cases, the offenders get remote access to the victim’s computer after asking them to install certain programs.
A second variant also uses a spoofed number. The caller claims there has been suspicious activity on the account, so the account will be blocked and the bank card secured. Once the victim gives the PIN over the phone, a second offender comes to the door and collects the card. The police report two such offences in Markkleeberg between 3 and 5 June, and one in Markranstädt in the same period. There, the offenders took more than 2,000 euros.
The third method involves fake PayPal staff. The caller says unusual activity has been seen on the PayPal account and that it must be stopped under their guidance. Victims are pushed to confirm a verification step, which gives the offenders access to the account. Often they are also asked to allow remote access to their device.
The police give several examples. On 10 September, a 62-year-old woman in Oschatz lost a six-figure sum. On 14 October, a 31-year-old lost several thousand euros in what the notice calls a recent case.
What it means for you
The warning covers the whole Polizeidirektion Leipzig area, not just the city. The cases named come from Oschatz, Markkleeberg and Markranstädt, and the victims range from their early thirties to their sixties. Nothing in the notice suggests that foreign residents are targeted more or less than anyone else, but anyone with a German bank account or a PayPal account could receive such a call.
The police advice is direct:
- Never engage with “support calls” from supposed computer technicians, software company staff or other technology firms.
- Do not give in to demands or instructions, and do not give the caller access to the data on your computer.
- End the call at once and contact the police.
Some practical points follow from the methods described. A call that appears to come from your bank’s real number is not proof that it is genuine, because the police explain that such numbers can be faked. A request to confirm something in your banking app, install a program or approve remote access during a call is part of the scheme as the police describe it. The same goes for anyone who asks for your PIN by phone or sends someone to collect your card. If you are unsure, you can hang up and contact your bank yourself. The notice does not give this last step as an instruction, so treat it as general caution rather than police guidance.
The notice does not say how to report a case, give a phone number or list opening hours. If you think you have been a victim, contact the police without delay.
What to watch next
The source gives no dates for further action, no arrests and no statement on whether the series is linked to one group. The police say they are warning “once again”, which suggests the problem is continuing. Check the Polizeimelder section of the Leipziger Internet Zeitung and the police’s own announcements for updates.
Source: Leipziger Internet Zeitung
Sources
- Leipziger Internet Zeitung: Achtung! Betrugsmaschen nehmen zu, accessed 14 November 2026
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