Phone scammers steal 64,300 euros from two Salzburg accounts

Phone scammers took a total of 64,300 euros from two Salzburg bank accounts on Wednesday and Friday, ORF reported. They stole 19,800 euros from the company account of a 52-year-old woman from Pinzgau and more than 44,500 euros from a 48-year-old man from Flachgau.

The man was called on Friday from a mobile number that appeared to be Austrian. The caller posed as a bank security officer and persuaded him to make nine express transfers to four different Austrian bank accounts. He lost more than 44,500 euros.

In the other case, the caller told the woman there were irregularities in her company account and asked her to approve authorisation requests in her banking app. She was led to believe the approvals would cancel alleged attempts by third parties to withdraw money. After confirming the requests, she noticed that 19,800 euros had left her account. The money appears to have been transferred to an Austrian bank account.

Both victims reported the fraud to police. Salzburg police said callers in both cases had posed as bank employees. Investigators are examining whether the incidents are connected.