Theft in Buchloe: Unknown people profit from card misuse!

Theft in Buchloe: Unknown people profit from card misuse!

As you drive through Vienna's city center today, you might think that everything is as usual. But a look at recent incidents shows that crime has increased here in the form of fraud and theft, particularly related to payment cards. On September 11, 2025, an unfortunate case of theft and misuse of means of payment was reported in Buchloe and Vienna, as reported by Merkur.

A 41-year-old woman from Buchloe had forgotten the cash she had withdrawn from the ATM at around 4:40 p.m. on that day. The police suspect that an unknown person took advantage of the opportunity and took the money. “Witnesses are asked to come forward,” said the police station on 08241/9690-0. Meanwhile, a 24-year-old woman from the same town reported the loss of her wallet, which she had lost in downtown Vienna. The day after the loss, her bank card was misused in a fast food restaurant.

Abuse through contactless payment

Interestingly, the young woman's bank card was used by a finder who exploited the contactless payment function before the card could be blocked. “The problem with contactless payment is that there are often legal uncertainties,” explains the legal expert from Strafrechtsiegen. In situations where a PIN is not used, the perpetrator can hardly be convicted of computer fraud. The current legal situation is often patchy regarding the devices used to commit such card-based fraud.

In a similar case, the regional court sentenced a defendant to ten months in prison in December 2023 for four counts of computer fraud, but the appeal could result in a new trial because the payment modalities are not clearly documented. If you make a payment without entering a PIN, a conviction for fraud is complicated because no deception on the part of the cashier staff can be proven.

Safety concerns and prevention

The questions surrounding payment card crime are a hot topic, and not just in this country. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, there are over 130 million payment cards in circulation in Germany, a significant proportion of which are debit cards. The majority of crimes involve this type of card. It is clear that people with German payment cards are often targeted by criminals due to their high creditworthiness.

Theft of digital data and their use on the Internet are common cybercrime phenomena. Lost or stolen cards are often misused, especially since the majority of those affected do not even report the crimes, as financial institutions often cover the resulting damage. It remains to be seen how the police and judiciary in Vienna and the surrounding area will react to this worrying development.

It is clear: prevention is the key. Find out how to protect your means of payment and what to do in the event of a loss. Handling your own money consciously can help you to be prepared against such brazen schemes.