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City of Vienna warns public over ‘residence letter’ scam

People who live in Vienna have started receiving letters asking them to register their "residence data" online. Here's what you need to know about the new scam.

Published: 7 February 2024 16:07 CET
City of Vienna warns public over 'residence letter' scam
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash

The Stadt Wien administration has warned residents of the Austrian capital about a new (and very deceptive) scam targeting the people in the city. 

“Some Viennese households are currently receiving deceptively genuine-looking letters asking them to enter personal data on a website. This letter is not from us! The city never asks you to enter registration data on websites”, the administration said.

The City of Vienna also shared a picture of the letter – with printed warnings of its fake content. 

The scammers target residents of Vienna, telling them they must update or enter their personal data on a website. The data can then be used to clone identities or extort money from the victims, for example. 

The city added: “Do not follow the link in the letter and never enter your registration data in the web form! Registrations in the Central Register of Residents can only be made in person at a city registration office or online via a federal application.”

Fake messages

Scams with fake messages have become more popular in Austria over the years. Last year, several residents nationwide received a text message regarding a “seizure” by the tax office. Clicking on a link would take you to a fake site mimicking the tax office in Austria with a request to transfer €379 to an Austrian bank account.

Also in 2023, thousands of people across Austria received messages from fraudsters pretending to be an Austrian bank. In the messages, people are told they need to update their access to their online bank account, or it will expire in the next few days. The recipients are then given a link to click on where they can enter their bank details – but this is a con, the Federal Criminal Police Office said at the time.

What to do if I get targeted?

Police have urged people to keep in mind that banks and governments will never send links to you asking you to unlock your account or give them personal information. 

They also say people should only install apps from known sources and that no one should enter details of their bank account and/or payment cards when prompted if it is not clear who the person asking is. 

READ ALSO: Austrian police warn public about new ‘WhatsApp scam’

People should delete any suspicious messages they receive or hang up on callers. 

“In case of doubt, contact your personal bank advisor and inquire about the message sent to you,” added police.

“In the event of damage, inform your bank immediately and report the matter to a police station.”

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EXPLAINED: How will Austria’s new ‘federal museum card’ work?

Vienna has some beautiful but expensive museums, and the federal government now wants to make culture more accessible with a new yearly ticket covering its main capital museums.

Published: 28 May 2024 15:13 CEST
EXPLAINED: How will Austria's new 'federal museum card' work?

While visiting a museum can be extremely cheap or even free in some countries, Austria has some expensive exhibitions. Some of the country’s best museums, such as the National History or the Albertina, for example, cost almost €20.

It becomes more affordable if you buy yearly tickets, which are often worth it from the third visit on, but it does limit the number of times Austrians go to museums — or at least the variety of the visits — if you buy one or two yearly tickets.

With that in mind, Austria’s federal government introduced a new “Federal Museum Card” this week, which will allow the holder unlimited visits without restriction to all federal museums making cultural exploration more affordable and accessible.

READ ALSO: One day in Vienna – How to spend 24 hours in the Austrian capital

How much will it cost and how can I buy it?

According to the Austrian Secretary for Culture, the federal museum card (Bundesmuseencard) will be sold for €99 a year. It will be valid from July 1st when anyone can buy them online or in the participating museums.

For comparison, a yearly ticket for Mumok Museum costs €22, while for Albertina, it costs €78. 

Isn’t there something similar already in Austria?

Sort of. There was a previous federal museum card sold since 2018, but this only offered one admission to each museum for €66 a year. In 2023, 7,700 of these cards were sold, Der Standard reported.

The new card is a significant upgrade from its predecessor. State Secretary for Culture Andrea Mayer (Greens) described it as a “genuine yearly ticket”, offering unlimited access to all federal museums, a stark contrast to the previous card which only allowed one admission to each museum. 

The older version will be phased out as cards expire.

READ ALSO: Eight unique Austrian museums you need to visit

Which museums are included?

You can visit all the federal museums in Vienna with the card: Kunsthistorisches Museum, Naturhistorisches Museum, Albertina, Belvedere, Museum moderner Kunst (Mumok), Technisches Museum, Museum für angewandte Kunst (Mak) plus the Austrian National Library. The card is valid for regular and special exhibitions and whenever the museums are open. 

Additionally, the idea is to incentivise spontaneous short visits. Cardholders can breeze through a “fast lane” without queuing at the counter; no prior bookings are necessary, enhancing the overall museum experience.

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