An incident occurred at this year's book fair in which three women and two men pretended to be collecting money for a charity organization. The fraudsters were of Romanian origin and took advantage of the gullible nature of visitors to the fair to obtain both cash and PayPal payments. On Thursday, an attentive witness was able to uncover the scam after making a donation herself and then observing a suspicious transfer of money between the men and women.
The witness acted quickly and contacted a security employee, who immediately informed the police. The citizen police officers deployed were able to quickly identify the group thanks to the witness. Cash and donation lists were found on them, which served as evidence of the fraud that had been carried out.
The five suspects are now under criminal investigation. In addition to fraud, they are also accused of obtaining benefits by fraudulent means, as they had gained access to the trade fair with fake tickets. These incidents cast a shadow over what is actually a positive atmosphere at the book fair and underline the need for vigilance.
The police are therefore providing some useful tips for dealing with fundraisers. Visitors should make sure that fundraisers can prove their identity and, if in doubt, prefer to donate directly to the official offices of the respective aid organization. It is also advisable to find out in advance about the organizations represented at the fair.
Potential donors should also not allow themselves to be put under pressure, especially if they are aggressively asked for a donation. Donations should always be made voluntarily and never under time pressure. In addition, reputable organizations do not ask for sensitive data such as address, telephone number or bank details on the street.
Finally, if fundraisers appear suspicious, they should always be reported to the fair's security staff or the police. Vigilance and caution are key to uncovering scammers like those at the book fair and preventing gullible people from being taken advantage of.
