“We would like to confirm the loan application submitted on your account...” A resident of Złotoryja received this information during a phone call. Trying to protect his money and cancel the loan application, the man followed the instructions of a “bank employee.” The caller told him to install an application on his mobile phone and then follow his instructions. Unfortunately, it turned out that he was a scammer, and the Złotoryja resident lost almost PLN 20,000.

Meanwhile, while browsing the Internet, a resident of Jelenia Góra noticed an advertisement offering the opportunity to invest money. The offer seemed attractive, and the advertisement suggested quick and guaranteed profits. Interested in the proposal, he left his contact details on the website. Soon afterward, a man contacted him, introducing himself as a representative of an investment company. The scammer assured him that, to begin investing, it was necessary to transfer a so-called initial fee to the indicated bank account.

The victim was also promised the support of a personal investment agent who would help him grow his funds. After registering on the indicated website, the man was able for some time to observe supposed profits appearing in his account, which convinced him that the investment was producing results. Unfortunately, unaware that he was being defrauded, he did not realize that the agent had full access to the account and transferred his funds to a nonexistent, fictitious platform. He lost nearly PLN 90,000.

Last Wednesday, an 84-year-old woman from Legnica also fell victim to a scammer. First, a man called her, claiming to be a postal employee. He said he had undelivered parcels because her current address was missing, and obtained the exact home address of his victim. Several hours later, the senior woman received another call, this time from someone claiming to be a police officer. She was told that thieves wanted to steal her savings and that the police had set a trap, but that she had to help by leaving her savings outside her front door, where she would soon recover them. Believing that she was taking part in a police operation, the woman lost approximately PLN 5,000.

Warning:

  • Do not trust overly attractive offers—if an advertisement suggests quick, high profits with minimal risk, there is a strong likelihood that it is a scam. It is worth thoroughly checking the company offering the investment and verifying whether it has the appropriate licenses and reviews.
  • Avoid making decisions under time pressure—scammers often use manipulation techniques to force people to quickly decide to transfer money. Proceed cautiously and always check the details before deciding to make a transfer.
  • Be cautious when sharing personal data—never provide your personal or financial details to people who contact you online or by phone, especially without first verifying their identity.
  • Consult experts about investment decisions—if you have no experience with investments, it is worth consulting a trusted financial adviser before making a decision.
  • Check the authenticity of the investment platform—make sure that the platform on which you intend to invest is legal and supervised by the relevant institutions. This can be checked on the websites of bodies such as the Polish Financial Supervision Authority (KNF).

Police remind the public that scammers are operating in increasingly sophisticated ways, and their victims often do not even realize that they are being manipulated. We urge everyone to exercise particular caution when making financial decisions and to immediately report any suspicious situations to the police.

Let us remember that our financial security depends largely on our prudence and caution.