“My daughter caused an accident.” A 78-year-old woman lost PLN 35,000. The scammers kept her on the line for several hours

The incident occurred late in the evening. A woman called the landline of a 78-year-old resident of Środa County and claimed to be her daughter.

The caller gave the senior woman dramatic information: “I caused a road accident and need money to cover the compensation.”

The story shook the senior woman. Convinced that she was helping her daughter, she began following the instructions of the person on the other end of the phone.

The scammer controlled the conversation for several hours

The woman was told to prepare cash at home. But that was not all. The scammer also demanded that the senior woman provide the denomination, series and number of every banknote she prepared over the phone.

The 78-year-old was to carry out all the tasks without hanging up. The conversation lasted several hours. The senior woman remained on the line until a man arrived at her address to collect the money.

The woman handed the cash to the “courier” and only then ended the conversation.

A moment later, she called her daughter herself to make sure that the money handed over had really helped her. That was when she learned that there had been no accident.

Only then did she realize that she had fallen victim to fraud. In total, she lost PLN 35,000.

Why do scammers not let victims hang up?

Police officers point out that the instruction to remain on the line has a specific purpose. Scammers want to prevent seniors from calmly checking whether the information being provided is true.

During the conversation, they gradually issue further instructions and exert pressure. Above all, they exploit emotions—the fear for the health or life of a loved one and the belief that immediate action is necessary.

How can you avoid being scammed?

Therefore, if you receive a call about an alleged accident involving a family member, the most important thing is to remain calm and end the conversation.

You should then call the loved one yourself using the number saved in your phone. Do not call back the number provided by the caller.

Police warn against handing over money

Police officers remind the public that officers and other services do not ask for money to be handed over in connection with a family member’s accident.

You must also not hand cash to people who appear at your home as a result of telephone instructions.

If you have any doubts, you can contact the Police by calling the emergency number 112.