A phenomenon of the smartphone society concerns the judiciary: money laundering cases are piling up at the Vienna Regional Court against people who make their bank accounts available for devious internet fraud.
The victims receive text messages from alleged sons or daughters asking them to write a WhatsApp message to a number. They are then created to transfer money. The scam works in a similar way, using fake news from Finanzonline.
Perpetrators difficult to catch
The direct perpetrators can rarely be identified; they are usually located abroad. The situation is different with the accomplices who – for a fee – provide their accounts into which the transfers end up. The account holders collect and hand over the money and usually receive at least ten percent of the loot.
A 19-year-old who provided his bank details for a successful fraud attempt with Finanzonline last February received significantly less. The injured party received a fake text message in which he thought he could expect a refund from the tax authorities if he completed an online application. Once it was sent with the fraudster’s correct details, his account was emptied. About 9,400 euros ended up in the account of the 19-year-old school dropout with a huge drug problem. He collected the amount and handed it over to a man whose first name only he knew, as he explained to Judge Daniela Forcedleitner at the regional court on Monday.
19-year-old received 100 euros for money transfer
The suspect said he should have received 100 euros for this, but only received half. “You negotiated poorly,” the judge noted, “usually ten to thirty percent is already included. The 19-year-old, who was convicted for a drug offense for the first time in 2022, said he urgently needed money for drugs.” . Two more previous convictions followed. Now he has been sentenced to 13 months for money laundering, although he does not have to serve the sentence for the time being. At the request of his lawyer Andreas Reichenbach, he was granted a temporary reprieve to undergo clinical withdrawal therapy. If this is successful, the 19-year-old will not have to serve the sentence imposed on him. The public prosecutor has agreed to this approach and the court’s decision is legally binding.
Almost simultaneously, negotiations were underway a few rooms away against an unemployed 40-year-old, into whose account a woman had transferred almost 2,900 euros in March 2024. She fell for a “Hello Mom” text message. Believing that her daughter was in dire straits, she transferred the amount in question to the account of the 40-year-old, who could no longer explain to judge Philipp Krasa how the victim or the perpetrators had obtained his IBAN number. The father of five, who has no steady work, assured he had nothing to do with the case.
In fact, it is clear that the 40-year-old has never tried to withdraw other people’s money from his account. Instead, his bank blocked his account and called the police because the sudden increase in assets raised suspicions of money laundering at the institution. The judge could not rule out that the suspect had nothing to do with the case. In case of doubt, he was therefore acquitted by operation of law.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
