Fraud on Daughter. 82-Year-Old Woman Lost Over 47 Thousand PLN

An 82-year-old resident of the Zgorzelec County believed a story about her daughter's and grandson's accident. She transferred over 47 thousand PLN to the scammers.

Pieniądze. (fot. KPP Bolesławiec)

An 82-year-old resident of the Zgorzelec County fell victim to a scam using the method of pretending to be a family member and a prosecutor. This case serves as an important warning for the residents of Bolesławiec and the entire region, as criminals continue to exploit emotions, fear, and time pressure to extort money from seniors.

The woman received a call on her landline from someone claiming to be her daughter. She conveyed that she and her son had been involved in a serious accident, in which the woman they hit was fighting for her life. The senior tried to confirm who she was speaking with. She asked if the caller was her daughter and if she was with her son. The caller confirmed, explaining the change in voice by saying she had a broken nose.

The scammer convinced the 82-year-old that 160,000 zlotys were needed for her to be able to respond to the incident while free. The senior said she did not have that amount, but she had 45,000 zlotys in savings at home and 2,500 zlotys from her current pension. The fake daughter stated that for now, that amount would suffice.

Then the woman heard that a prosecutor would come to collect the money. The scammer instructed her not to ask him any questions, to hand over the cash, and to wait for further decisions from the police and the prosecutor's office. The 82-year-old remained on the line with the person pretending to be her daughter the entire time. After a while, a man knocked on the door and simply said, "I am here." The senior handed him over more than 47,000 zlotys.

After giving the money, the woman spoke with the scammer for a few more minutes. She heard that the money "was already there," after which the call was disconnected. Only then did she call her real daughter. She was informed that her daughter had not been involved in any accident and had not asked for money to be sent. At that moment, the senior realized she had been scammed.

The police remind that officers or prosecutors do not demand money to be handed over in connection with an accident, an ongoing investigation, or a supposed opportunity to avoid arrest. In the case of a similar phone call, one should immediately end the conversation, contact relatives at a known number, and notify the authorities.