Germany alerts public to BKA‑impersonating phishing scam demanding passport copies

Criminal groups are conducting a phishing campaign in Germany that mimics the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA). Emails appear to carry official BKA letterheads, attach fabricated arrest warrants and claim the recipient will be entered into a criminal‑register and reported to the media unless a passport copy is sent within 72 hours. The scheme targets identity theft by harvesting personal documents for use in further fraud.

The Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen warns that no German authority issues subpoenas or requests identity documents via unsecured email. Recipients are urged to delete the messages, avoid opening attachments or links, and report the incident to the police. Security experts note similar fake Interpol‑style messages and other financial‑service phishing variants are being observed.

The advisory emphasizes the need for heightened security awareness in both private and corporate settings, recommending clear policies that prohibit responding to any request for personal documents by email.