30,000 euros handed over

Scammers robbed pensioner of his savings

Fraudsters pretend to be police officers on the phone (symbolic image)

(Bild: APA/dpa/Jan-Philipp Strobel)

"Your daughter had a traffic accident and a child died" - an 85-year-old man from Linz fell for this shock message. He had to pay a deposit to get his supposedly imprisoned daughter out of jail. The pensioner then handed over his savings to fraudsters.

An 85-year-old man from Linz realized too late that he had become a victim of fraudsters. The fraudsters first pretended to be police officers on the phone and told the shocked man that his daughter had been involved in a traffic accident in which a child had died.

Crooks pretended to be judges
To confirm the accident version, they called a second time, this time pretending to be a judge who confirmed the accident story. In order to get his imprisoned daughter out of custody, he would have to hand over bail money. 

Money handed over in his pocket
The pensioner collected his savings - according to unconfirmed information, 30,000 euros - and put it in a bag. Shortly afterwards, a man came to the 85-year-old's home address and collected the bag.

Fraud noticed too late
It was only then that the pensioner realized that he had become the victim of a scam and informed the police. So far, there is no trace of the fraudsters or the money.

What the police advise

• Stop calls immediately if you receive a call from a supposed relative asking for money.
• Never allow yourself to be intimidated or persuaded to do anything and never give out personal details (e.g. account numbers, names of relatives) over the phone.
• Do not let anyone you do not know into your house or apartment, even if they claim to be in a supposed emergency.
• For example, do not allow tradesmen or supposed "officials" who you have not appointed into your home.
• Use the intercom system to contact them or use the door security chain/bar.
• Do not show any false shame if you have fallen for a clumsy fraudster or become the victim of a crime, but report it immediately to the police by calling 133.