Fake Badges

Luxembourg police issued a warning this week after receiving multiple reports from residents who were contacted by email or letter about supposed police investigations. The messages are not genuine. They are part of a scam designed to steal personal information, including passwords and bank details.[1]

The tactic is not new, but it is effective. A letter or email bearing the name of the police carries authority. An unsuspecting recipient, told they are involved in an investigation, might feel pressured to comply with whatever is asked of them. That is exactly what the fraudsters are counting on.

Police have issued clear guidance: ignore suspicious messages, never click links or open attachments, never transmit sensitive data by email or online messaging, and contact the police directly if there is any doubt about a document's authenticity. Spelling mistakes, they note, are often a telltale sign.[1]

They also appealed to the public to inform elderly relatives and acquaintances about such scams. This is not a throwaway line. Older residents are disproportionately targeted by impersonation scams, and many still trust a letter that arrives on official-looking letterhead more than a younger person would. The police know this. The fraudsters know it too.

What is striking is the effort involved. These are not mass emails sent to millions. They include letters, physical mail, which means printing, envelopes, and postage. Someone is investing time and money into this, which suggests the returns, at least occasionally, make it worthwhile. That is the unsettling part: the scam persists because it works.

If you receive a message claiming to be from the police about an investigation you were not expecting, it is almost certainly not real. The real police will contact you in person if they need you. The fake ones want your passwords.