The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has searched properties of seven men suspected of participating in the refund fraud of the "German Refund Crew" to have been involved. The men, aged between 20 and 37, are accused of, among other things, gang and commercial computer fraud and data theft.
The "German Refund Crew" c’t had stumbled upon the German Refund Crew in mid-2020 and had conducted research there. At the end of October 2020, the BKA shut down the Telegram group through which they had offered their fraudulent services. The living quarters of the main suspect were searched, and further investigation led law enforcement authorities on the trail of the seven men.
Pre-exchanged rucksack
In refund fraud, the perpetrators order goods on the Internet and then pre-swap a shipment in order to receive a refund. For their criminal services, the defendants demanded a commission of 23 to 27 percent of the respective value of the goods. They now face prison sentences of 6 months to 10 years.
Searches these days in Brandenburg, Baden-Wurttemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate have seized numerous smartphones and other digital evidence, fraudulently obtained goods, cash and cryptocurrencies, among other things. In addition, the BKA was able to take over and secure six Telegram accounts.
According to the investigating senior prosecutor Thomas Goger, not only the members, but also hundreds of customers were investigated. In total, there are more than 600 acts that were committed over a period of four months and caused damage of 500 million euros.000 Euro caused.