PLUTA warns of fraudulent offers relating to purported restructuring proceedings

PLUTA Rechtsanwalts GmbH has issued a warning about a current scam involving purported offers from restructuring proceedings under the German Corporate Stabilisation and Restructuring Act (StaRUG). Cybercriminals are sending emails offering, among other things, vehicles, tractors, excavators and precious metals on seemingly very favourable terms.

The fraudsters are using PLUTA’s brand name, logo and business address as well as the name of a PLUTA attorney for this. The fraudulent emails are being sent to third parties from the domains pluta-ra.net and pluta-ra.de. The perpetrators have put together a professional-looking PDF and are claiming to offer an attractive asset sale opportunity. These emails advertising the supposed sale are presumably being sent in bulk to SMEs and industrial companies. With this type of fraud, payment is typically requested upfront but the goods never materialise.

PLUTA wishes to point out that, as a rule, vehicles and other assets are realised in a structured and transparent sales process in insolvency and restructuring proceedings. There are no mass mailings, and no unsolicited offers are made. PLUTA already warned of similar frauds in late 2023 and early 2025. Once again, PLUTA has immediately filed a criminal complaint against unknown persons. The operator of the domains has also been requested to immediately suspend the accounts in question and to preserve the data for the police investigation.