"Compensation" via WhatsApp? There's a dangerous trick behind it

They pose as Swiss lawyers, promise thousands of euros in compensation - and are really only after one thing: Your ID photo. A new scam is currently doing the rounds in which criminals use deceptively genuine letters to build trust - and they do it twice: first comes a letter with a law firm logo, then communication via WhatsApp.

The target: your identity. Because once you have photographed and sent your ID card, you give fraudsters a golden ticket - to online banking, mail order companies or mobile phone providers. Victims often only realize weeks later that loans have been taken out, contracts concluded or goods ordered in their name.

The new scam - tried and tested fraud in a new guise

What is new about this story is above all the presentation. However, the process follows a familiar pattern: criminals claim that you have been the victim of an alleged crypto scam or lottery trick - and that you are now entitled to several thousand euros in compensation. The catch: before the money flows, you have to "identify" yourself.

That sounds logical, looks official - and tempts many people to send a photo of their ID via WhatsApp. That's exactly the trick. Because with this one picture, you can create a digital doppelganger existence - and the trouble begins.

The Brandenburg Consumer Advice Center is sounding the alarm and issuing an urgent warning about this scam. Particularly perfidious: the perpetrators deliberately use the appearance of a genuine law firm as a disguise, including the name, logo and Swiss letterhead. This allows them to gain trust at first glance - and then strike coldly.

Identity theft: when fraudsters take over your life

Many people underestimate what is possible with a single ID photo. It is enough to open online accounts, run fake stores or pretend to be someone else. The result: reminders, debt collection letters, Schufa entries - and a lot of stress.

Once you have been affected, it often takes months to regain your identity. And it is not uncommon to be left with costs that you never incurred. The digital world is a playground for fraudsters - and identity theft is the ultimate tool for living on someone else's dime.

How to protect yourself from WhatsApp scams

The most important rule is simple: never send ID photos to unknown contacts - even if they claim to be "serious". No law firm, bank or authority requests ID data via WhatsApp or email. If you have any doubts, you should check the authenticity of the request directly with the alleged sender - by telephone and via official channels.

These protective measures also help:

• Activate two-factor authentication
• Change passwords regularly and do not use them more than once
• Do not share sensitive data via insecure channels

Anyone who has already been taken in should react quickly: Report it to the police, inform Schufa and contact the consumer advice center. They can help - before a WhatsApp photo turns into a nightmare that lasts for years.

Trust can be expensive

The fact that criminals disguise themselves as law firms shows how deep the trust in the legal profession still runs - and how mercilessly it is exploited. If a letter looks like it's from a professional, many people don't give it a second thought. This is precisely what makes this scam so dangerous.
The bitter truth: if you send your ID today, you could suddenly have debts tomorrow that you know nothing about - and that won't disappear so easily. Law firm logos are quickly copied. Identities too.