Schengen Visa Scam Cases Increase Due to Limited Number of Appointments
Scammers have been taking advantage of nationals of countries that need a Schengen visa in order to be permitted entry into the EU. They have been mainly targeting those who are willing to choose illegal ways to obtain such a document, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
Data show that scamming cases have always been evident. However, they have especially increased this year since more people are choosing Europe as a travel destination now that restrictions have been lifted.
In most cases that have been reported, especially those in Morocco, scammers ask Schengen visa applicants to complete their payments by using a credit card. After applicants get convinced to do so, they receive an SMS code validating their payment and disclose it to the scammer.
The scammer then uses the first code and does one payment, and tells the applicant to make the payment again since a problem occurred while carrying out the process.
Schengen visa applicants are also oftentimes using the help of intermediaries to fill in visa applications instead of doing it themselves, this way, revealing their personal information, Les ECO says.
It has been reported that intermediaries usually take available appointments and then make those wishing to apply for a Schengen visa bid for the spot. The prices for these appointments are extremely high, and those who send their bank account do not hear from the intermediaries again.
The Director of the Interbank Electronic Payment Centre (CMI) of Morocco, Ismail Bellali, has just recently warned Moroccans to be careful from scammers offering Schengen visa appointments. Bellali advised Moroccans to never share their personal information.
Bellali revealed that a woman who needed to get an appointment as soon as possible for family reasons was a victim of scammers, and her card was run for payment five times. It is believed that around €2,722 were stolen from her.
Moroccans have been subject to scammers before too. Earlier this year, hundreds of Moroccans who wanted to reach Germany were reportedly scammed by brokers who offered fake work contracts. It was reported that the broker involved in this case asked those interested in working in Germany to pay from €1,500 up to €9,000 for a work contract.
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