Munich – November 05, 2026 -- The three-part documentary series "Kings of Scam" about the fake DHL text message scam is available in the ARD Mediathek and has won first prize at the Helmut Schmidt Journalist Prize. The Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) production traces the criminal network behind the messages and a mysterious piece of software.
The scam starts with a harmless-sounding parcel notice
The series opens with a message like this one: a DHL parcel has arrived at the warehouse, cannot be delivered because of an incomplete address, and the recipient must confirm the address via a link within 12 hours. According to the source, messages like this open the door to a large-scale fraud. Every year, sensitive data is stolen from hundreds of thousands of people, and their credit card details are skimmed.
Reporters followed the trail to Thailand and California
The BR team investigated in Thailand, California and online. Across three episodes, the series describes how the scheme works: technically sophisticated, divided into tasks and systematic. It involves sums in the billions, the perpetrators' luxury lifestyles and a software called "Magic Cat." Victims describe how they fell for the link and how they are trying to recover their money.
The jury praised the focus on victims
At the ceremony in Frankfurt am Main on November 4, the jury said the series makes the mechanics of modern fraud networks understandable. It portrays victims as relatable people rather than naive dupes, and the reporters become part of the story while keeping journalistic distance.
"Kings of Scam" is the first series in "team.recherche," the ARD's investigative documentary format for the ARD Mediathek. The Helmut Schmidt Journalist Prize was first awarded in 1996 and honors consumer-friendly reporting on business and finance topics.