Shock call: Fraudsters steal several thousand euros from a senior in Ludwigsburg!

Shock call: Fraudsters steal several thousand euros from a senior in Ludwigsburg!

An 82-year-old man from Bietigheim-Bissingen fell victim to a devious scam on Tuesday. Unknown people posed as police officers and prosecutors over the phone and told the senior citizen shocking news: his daughter had been involved in a fatal traffic accident and urgently needed bail. The man, in an emotional state of emergency, handed over several thousand euros in cash to a stranger in Ludwigsburg, specifically in the area of ​​Schorndorfer Straße and Mühlstraße, around 5:00 p.m. The person handing over is described as being around 1.80 meters tall, with dark blonde hair and a three-day beard. He also wore dark clothing that was reminiscent of a uniform and a sweater with the inscription “Justice,” as Ludwigsburg24 reports.

This type of fraud, known as a “shock call”, is currently under discussion because the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) warns against this scam. It is primarily older people who are often the target of these criminal activities. Callers pose not only as relatives, but also as representatives of state institutions such as the police or public prosecutor's office. This creates a false scenario in which financial support is urgently needed. In many cases it is alleged that a family member is involved in a serious incident, which often puts the victims under considerable pressure, as the BKA's warning notices show BKA.

The scammers' approach

Shock call scammers often use multiple tactics to manipulate victims into handing over money. At the beginning, a supposed family member often speaks in a whiny voice in order to gain the senior's trust. The conversation is then often taken over by several callers who support each other in order to increase the pressure on the victim. In some cases it is even pretended that money and valuables are not safe in a bank safe deposit box and must be taken to the police, as Polizei-Beratung explains.

Typically, victims are told that without immediate financial help they will face serious consequences. Amounts of up to 100,000 euros are often demanded, and the deceptions only end after the handover is complete. Victims often realize too late that they have been cheated, and the emotional impact is severe.

Protective measures and recommendations

To protect yourself from such scams, the BKA strongly advises you to be skeptical of calls demanding money. Victims should take the following measures into account:

• Vertrauen Sie nicht den Aufforderungen am Telefon und legen Sie auf, wenn Sie sich unter Druck gesetzt fühlen.
• Rufen Sie Angehörige unter den Ihnen bekannten Nummern an, um die Situation zu klären.
• Geben Sie keine persönlichen oder finanziellen Informationen am Telefon preis.
• Wenn Sie einen solchen Anruf erhalten, kontaktieren Sie umgehend Ihre örtliche Polizeidienststelle.
• Betroffene können sich außerdem an Organisationen wie den „WEISSEN RING“ wenden, um Unterstützung zu erhalten.

It is important not to hand over cash or valuables to strangers and never to let strangers into your own four walls.