An 80-year-old man from Jelenia Góra fell victim to online scammers. The scheme lasted from March to August 2026. The senior came across an online advertisement about investing in oil. The offer supposedly made it possible to achieve high profits in a short time.

The man became interested in the advertisement and filled out a contact form, providing his details. Soon, a man introducing himself as an investment adviser contacted him.

They promised quick profits

The fake adviser gradually gained the 80-year-old's trust. During subsequent conversations, he convinced him that investing through the indicated platform was safe and would generate high profits.

Initially, the victim transferred money in amounts of around PLN 10,000. Over time, however, the scammers persuaded him to deposit increasingly larger sums. The method was carefully prepared. The criminals presented information about the alleged investments and displayed projected profits, convincing the man that his money was actually working in the market.

He installed an app. The scammers gained access to the device

At one point, the “adviser” told the 80-year-old to install an application that was supposed to make managing the investments easier. In reality, the app gave the scammers remote access to the man's device. This allowed them to control his actions and access information stored on his phone or computer.

But the fraud did not end there.

A “courier” came to collect the cash

The criminals informed the man that he could also provide the money in cash. They arranged how the funds would be handed over, and then a man claiming to be a courier came to collect the cash.

The money was handed over to him after he gave the previously agreed password.

The 80-year-old still believed that he was investing his savings and that the information provided to him concerned the actual results of the investments.

At one point, however, the situation began to change. The man could no longer see his money or the alleged profits on the investment platform. The website disappeared, and contact with the people presenting themselves as investment advisers suddenly ceased.

That was when he realized he had been defrauded. In total, he lost nearly PLN 550,000.

Police warn against fake investments

Police officers remind people that scammers are increasingly using online advertisements to find potential victims. They create professional-looking websites, use specialist terminology, present fictitious charts and investment results, and then contact interested people. The primary aim is to build trust and persuade victims to transfer money.

People should be especially cautious when someone promises very high profits in a short time and without risk.

Police officers advise people to thoroughly check the company and the service offered before making a financial decision. It is worth verifying whether the entity actually exists and whether it has the required authorization to conduct investment activities.

People should also never install, at the instruction of strangers, applications that enable remote access to a phone or computer. This could allow criminals to take control of the device and access the data and money stored on it.

Cash for a “courier”? That's a warning sign

Police also draw attention to how money is handed over. If someone claiming to be an investment adviser proposes handing over cash through a courier or another unknown person, contact should be ended immediately and the offer should be verified.

Never share logins, passwords, authorization codes or electronic banking details with strangers.

It is also worth remembering that scammers often put pressure on their victims. They may insist that a decision must be made immediately because “the opportunity will soon be gone” or that another payment must be made quickly.

Time pressure and a promise of very high profits without risk should be treated as warning signs.

Police officers also appeal to the families of older people to talk to them about the dangers associated with online investments. If a loved one says that an “investment adviser” offering quick profits has contacted them, it is worth taking an interest and helping verify the offer before any money is handed over.

In the case of the 80-year-old resident of Jelenia Góra, it was already too late.