Overview
- Police in Velbert, Homberg and Kassel reported on Tuesday, May 12, that callers posed as bank staff, collected cards and PINs at the door, and then withdrew cash.
- In Homberg, one senior saw €2,160 withdrawn minutes after handing over a card, and in Kassel another €1,500 was taken at nearby ATMs.
- A Portuguese couple on holiday in São Paulo lost €30,000 when thieves made 14 transfers in 36 minutes after a smartphone snatch.
- The couple reported the loss to criminal police and the Portuguese central bank, while Banco Santander said refunds are assessed case by case and offered no timeline.
- Investigations are ongoing as police suspect mobile groups, urge victims to block cards and file reports at once, and note German customers can dispute unauthorized direct debits for up to 13 months.