Fake police officers in Zwickau: senior citizens cheated out of coin collection!

Fake police officers in Zwickau: senior citizens cheated out of coin collection!

In Zwickau-Marienthal, fake police officers went on the prowl and cheated an elderly couple out of a valuable coin collection. On Monday afternoon, the pensioners received a threatening call from an alleged police officer who claimed that several robberies had recently been committed in the neighborhood. To ensure the safety of their valuables, seniors were advised to have their possessions documented. And as is often the case with such scams, it didn't take much to outwit the unsuspecting victims. At around 5 p.m. an unknown man appeared in their residential area on Windberg and shortly afterwards took over the couple's coin collection. At 6:20 p.m. he had already disappeared again, heading towards the B 175. The value of the stolen coins is estimated at a mid-five-figure amount. The perpetrator was described as being around 1.60 meters tall, between 20 and 25 years old and with an Eastern European accent. He also wore a white T-shirt with black men printed on it and had short black hair. In recent weeks, a total of 17 similar incidents have been reported in the Zwickau Police Department area, prompting the police to issue an urgent warning. Citizens should be particularly suspicious of calls from unknown people and, if in doubt, inform the police. Any relevant information can be given to the criminal police on (0375) 428 4480.

Vigilance is required

However, the fraudsters weren't just up to mischief this Monday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, several people from Zwickau also received verbal taunts from alleged police officers. Six attempted frauds have already been reported to the Zwickau police on these days. In three cases, the callers reported that the names of those called had been found on a list of a robber who had been hired. In three other cases, the victims were confronted with the scam that there was an ongoing investigation against employees of their bank, which put their savings at risk. One of the callers was even advised to transfer his money to a specified account. Fortunately, there was a positive example here too: an attentive bank employee noticed the intention of an 86-year-old who wanted to transfer 9,500 euros and was able to prevent something worse from happening.

A red flag for seniors

Older people are disproportionately often the target of such fraud attempts because they generally have more trust and may also have less experience with modern fraud schemes. The most common tricks used include the “grandchild trick”, in which fraudsters pose as relatives and ask for money, as well as “order fraud” and “subscription traps”. Experts recommend being particularly skeptical when strangers ask for sensitive data or transfers. It is advisable to seek advice from friends or family members in such situations and to contact the police and the bank immediately if you suspect fraud.

Don't let yourself be put under pressure! The wisdom of life should be like this: Distrust protects against fraud. It is important to use your own intuition and, when in doubt, to ask too much rather than too little.

Further information on current scams and preventative measures can be found on the website of Radio Zwickau, Blue light ticker and Stay mobile.