From time to time, the media and police websites publish appeals urging people to take particular care during telephone conversations with strangers, especially people asking for money. Scammers are constantly modifying their methods as well. – A new method has recently appeared: the “injection from America” scam. Scammers extorted PLN 4,000 and valuables worth a total of PLN 2,000 from an 81-year-old woman from Lubin – reports asp. szt. Monika Kaleta from the Provincial Police Headquarters in Wrocław. – The scammers told the senior that her son was seriously ill and needed money for an expensive injection from America.

She adds:

The criminals called the senior woman’s landline. The male caller introduced himself as a medical worker and informed the woman that her son was very seriously ill and that money was needed for an expensive medicine from America. The perpetrator conducted the conversation in such a way that he did not allow the senior to disconnect. A “police officer” was then added to the conversation and confirmed that the call was genuine.

Then the deceitful scammers handed the phone to a man who claimed to be the senior’s seriously ill son, and to a woman who pretended to be his wife.

The criminals tricked the older woman into giving them her address. They asked her to hand over the money and gold to a notary’s employee. The woman packed everything into an envelope and handed it to an unknown man.

What should you remember?

  • Senior citizens, REMEMBER!!!! In such a situation, disconnect the call by pressing the red button on the telephone. When you are certain that you can make another, new telephone call, contact someone in your family or notify the police by calling the free emergency number 112.
  • The police never ask you to hand over money and never call with such a demand!
  • The police never provide information by telephone about operations they are conducting! If you receive such a call, be certain that it is a scammer calling!
  • Never hand over money in such situations, sign documents, open bank accounts or give anyone your personal details, PIN numbers or passwords!
  • After such a conversation, immediately call someone close to you at a number you know and tell them about the incident. Notify the police.
  • We also appeal to young people to be careful: let our parents and grandparents know that there are people who may try to take advantage of their kindness. Tell them how to behave if someone calls them asking to borrow or withdraw a large amount of money from the bank. Pay particular attention to those who live alone. Ordinary caution can protect them from losing savings accumulated over many years.