Suspected fraudsters in Giessen are trying to obtain private data by email. Unknown persons have contacted customers of Stadtwerke Giessen (SWG) under the pretence of wanting to replace their supposedly outdated heating system. The sender of the message pretended to be an employee of the "Utilities Engineering Department" and referred to a link to make an appointment. The name and telephone number were then to be entered on the website. SWG warns against responding to such messages. "Fraudsters lure you in with ominous offers and deliberately try to mislead you," says Ulli Boos, Head of Marketing at SWG. "They make their money from the credulity of other people."
The email from the suspected fraudsters contains a free offer to replace the heating system as well as a reference to a subsidy totalling several thousand euros. They put the addressees under pressure with a one-day deadline for the offer. "Anyone who receives such a message should not respond to it and under no circumstances should they pass on personal data without thinking. If in doubt, those affected can contact us and seek reassurance," explains Ulli Boos.
Information can be provided by calling the service number 0800 23 02 100 (free of charge from the German landline network and all German mobile networks), at the SWG customer centre on Marktplatz or by email at info@stadtwerke-giessen.de.
20.10.2016