Authorities warn that receiving money from a stranger could be part of a money laundering scheme to hide its origin.
A new fraud scheme in Portugal begins seemingly harmlessly: unexpected money received by MB Way. In recent days, reports on social media have multiplied, mainly on Reddit, of people who received amounts between 150 and 200 euros through MB Way, followed by almost immediate contacts from unknown numbers asking for the amount to be returned.
According to the testimonies, the requests are frequently made via WhatsApp and, in some cases, from numbers different from those who made the initial transfer, which raises suspicions about the origin and intention of the operations.
The Judicial Police confirmed that it is already investigating this type of fraud, with several inquiries and formal complaints underway. According to the PC, the scheme uses regular user accounts as intermediaries in the circulation of money, both at origin and destination, functioning as a concealment mechanism typical of money laundering operations.
In practice, when returning the money received, the victim may be, without knowing it, participate in an illicit financial circuithelping to move funds of criminal origin. This detail transforms an apparently correct and noble action into a possible piece of a broader scheme.
SIBS, the entity responsible for the ATM network and MB Way, warns of the risks and reinforces that users should not act on impulse. “Never follow instructions from strangers to carry out operations via MB Way, regardless of the contact channel used”, highlights the entity.
Among the main recommendations is to never transfer money to a number other than the original sender without prior validation with the bank. If you receive an unexpected transfer, the first step should be to contact the banking institution, which will be able to verify the origin of the transaction.
Authorities also advise users to not responding to suspicious messagesto keep all receipts and communications received and, if there is evidence of fraud, to file a complaint with the PSP, GNR or the Judiciary Police itself.
