Deception (social engineering): Private individual, Austria 2026
From 2024, a 64-year-old woman corresponded for around two years with a supposed major who used several identities and stories.
- Incident · 2026 · Salzburg, Austria
- Evidence: confirmed by an authority
- Deception (social engineering)
- Fraud
As of
What happened
She kept sending him voucher cards. On 31 August 2026 she filed a criminal complaint; the loss amounts to around 100'000 euros.
- Affected
- Private individual (anonymous)
- Industry
- Private individual
- Loss
- around EUR 100'000
- Business interruption
- unknown
- Ransom demanded / paid
- unknown / unknown
- Data affected
- unknown
- Bankruptcy
- no
- Entry point
- Internet acquaintance with a supposed major from Syria
What would cyber insurance have paid?
That depends on the terms. Whether those affected were insured: unknown.
We have not assigned any cyber insurance module to this case.
Overview based on public policy terms, as of 06.11.2026. Only your policy and its general terms and conditions (GTC) are binding. No confirmation of cover.
What we can learn
Anyone who asks for money in the form of voucher cards is a fraudster, no matter how long the contact has existed.
Sources
- 100.000 Euro weg: Salzburgerin (64) schreibt zwei Jahre lang mit «Major» (opens in a new window) 5 Minuten (5min.at) · 2026-09-01
«Dabei überwies sie ihm ständig Gutscheinkarten»