Alarm: grandchildren trimmered 4.9 million euros in Thuringia!

Alarm: grandchildren trimmered 4.9 million euros in Thuringia!

In 2023, telephone tricksters in Thuringia captured huge sums. According to the MDR , the damage adds to over 4.9 million euros. The reports about such frauds are alarming: approximately 5,700 fraudulent calls have been registered, which followed a significant decline in 2024 to 3,449 calls. Nevertheless, the fraudsters fiddled more money with every call. Even if the total number of calls has decreased, the risk for those affected remains high.

The grandchildren is one of the most common stitches, as reported by the Südthüringer Allgemeine . By the end of August 2023 there were 1,181 cases, an increase compared to 879 in 2022. In addition, shock calls, in which supposed accidents are faked by relatives, ensured considerable 1,126 reports in the same period of time. Chief Criminal Investigation Sebastian Hölich from LKA Berlin describes in an interview how these fraudsters specifically call seniors and pretend to be relatives to demand deposits.

be careful with calls

The mesh often works in such a way that the perpetrators create emotional pressure situations. They announce that a relative is involved in a serious traffic accident and urgently needs money to avoid custody. The call is often handed over to an alleged police officer who gives further instructions. Amounts that are required by the victims sometimes amount to up to 100,000 euros. The extent of these fraud makes it clear how important information is.

In order to contain the increase in these fraud, the police are increasingly relating to prevention measures. With information events, such as recently in a Sparkasse in Suhl, she tries to make older people aware of the dangers of telephone fraud. The recommendations are clear: Never pass on information about valuables or bank details and call back to known numbers for emergencies.

The development of fraud stitches

Another interesting point is the decline in calls from false police officers. While 1,261 cases were still registered in 2022, they fell to 214 in the first eight months of 2023. The perpetrators seem to be flexible in their methods and quickly adapt to the conditions. The use of WhatsApp to deceive ancestors is also becoming increasingly common, as can be found in the report of the rbb24 .

The target group of fraudsters are especially people over 60 years, with 65% of the reports of women. Tragically, a serious case in April 2023 in Apolda added a 93-year-old to throw 45,000 euros out of the window after falling for a fraudulent call.

Overall, crime remains a serious problem, especially in the area of ​​telephone fraud. The police and other institutions continue to work intensively on prevention measures in order to protect and sensitize the older population in particular. Stay vigilant!