Lubin police officers recently received several reports concerning the extortion of money via the internet. One resident of Lubin County fell victim to scammers. An unknown person, having breached the woman’s electronic security, gained access to her account on a social networking site. There, impersonating the county resident, the unknown perpetrator sent her friends a message containing an invented story that money was needed. Naturally, a bank account number was provided.
Several of the woman’s friends, thinking they were genuinely helping their friend, transferred money to the account given in the fraudulent message.
Unfortunately, all that money ended up in the hands of the scammers.
What do the police appeal for?
Officers:
We appeal for caution whenever transferring any sum of money. If we receive a message asking us to pay money into a bank account, it is worth calling the person from whom the information came and confirming it. Let us verify all information.
They add:
Let us remember to report every case of fraud without fail. Police officers need to know about these incidents so they can link them together and effectively pursue the perpetrators.
Unfortunately, they are often not reported. All because of... the shame of having been deceived by someone.
Let us recall. The perpetrator or perpetrators may face a sentence of up to 8 years in prison.