Village in shock: pensioner loses 20,000 euros to fraudsters!

Village in shock: pensioner loses 20,000 euros to fraudsters!

A 73-year-old pensioner from Zorneding fell victim to a brazen shock call and suffered a loss of over 20,000 euros. On Wednesday, in the early afternoon hours, the woman took a call from what was supposed to be a police officer. She claimed that burglaries had been committed in the neighborhood and asked the pensioner to put her jewelry, valuables and cash in a container and put them in the hallway of her apartment building for collection. Convinced of the caller's credibility, the pensioner obediently followed the instructions and waited for further instructions in her apartment.

After the caller hung up and the valuables disappeared, the woman began to doubt the story. She then informed the police, who quickly intervened, but an immediate search was unsuccessful. However, in two other similar cases in the Poing police station area, those called recognized the fraud in good time, so it was just an attempt. As the South Germans reported, the shock among those affected is understandably great.

Warning from the criminal police

The Erding criminal police warn urgently about this perfidious scam and give helpful advice to avoid such incidents. They recommend never handing over money to unknown people and, if in doubt, simply hanging up. Relatives should also always be contacted using known numbers instead of trusting the callback button. The police also emphasize that they never request cash or valuables for investigations. If you are unsure, you should call 110 immediately and don't be afraid to check the identity of the caller.

Preversal measures for seniors

The threat of such scams often targets older people. Raising awareness among this target group is very important in order to detect attempted fraud in a timely manner. There are a variety of scams aimed at pressuring seniors to transfer money in their native language. Well-known methods include the “grandchild trick” and the “shock call”. The perpetrators suggest that quick financial help is needed in an emergency.

The Nursing assistance highlights that being skeptical about unknown calls and verifying the identity of the caller can significantly help prevent fraud. Seniors and their relatives should be made aware and immediately report suspicious calls to the police. Obtaining opinions and information from trusted people is also a recommended measure.

This incident once again illustrates how important it is to protect yourself from attempted fraud these days. The responsibility lies not only with those affected, but also with society, which should inform older people about the dangers and support them in their digital skills.