Be careful in the Ilm district: fraudsters fail because of clever seniors!

Be careful in the Ilm district: fraudsters fail because of clever seniors!

In the Ilm district, shock calls have increased again in recent weeks, a nerve-wracking phenomenon that particularly affects older people. On Tuesday, an 83-year-old from Heyda and a 74-year-old from Stadtilm were contacted in a worrying incident. The fraudsters tried to put pressure on the women with the dramatic claim that a relative had caused a fatal traffic accident and needed immediate bail money to avoid jail time. Fortunately, both seniors saw through the sinister scam and hung up, thereby preventing any financial damage. The police informed about this incident on Wednesday in order to warn and raise awareness of other citizens inSuedthueringen.de reported.

What are shock calls? The fraudsters' scam involves impersonating close relatives or police officers in order to persuade victims to hand over money or valuables. An alleged traffic accident is often brought into play, for which immediate payment is necessary in order to pay for an emergency operation or to make a deposit, as the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) explains.

This is how you protect yourself from fraud

The fraudsters put a lot of pressure on their victims to force them to make quick decisions. Attempts are often made to prevent contact with real relatives or the police. Shock call scammers often operate in groups, with the callers handing the call over to each other to further unsettle the victims.

The police and advice centers recommend that if you are unsure, you should call 110 instead of using the callback button. If you feel pressured, you should just hang up. It is important to contact loved ones using their known phone number and not to reveal any personal or financial information over the phone. It is also advisable not to give money or valuables to unknown people.

In addition, the police recommend calling in a person you trust or contacting the police immediately. It is also emphasized that the treatment of an accident victim should never depend on prior payment, as Polizei-Beratungsstelle explains.

The machinations of these fraudsters are particularly perfidious and endanger not only the financial but also the emotional support of older people. In a serious case, it is crucial to act quickly and contact the police or victim advice centers such as the “WEISSER RING”. Their nationwide telephone number is 116 006.

So be vigilant and make your relatives aware of this issue too. Because anyone can fall into the clutches of such fraudsters. Therefore the motto counts: Caution is the mother of the china box!