Overview
- Pensioner over 80 in Altmannstein fell victim to two separate ‘shock call’ scams on July 14, surrendering cash via a fake bank official and gold bars to a bogus police caller.
- German police confirmed that the identical fraud network orchestrated both operations, netting more than €100,000 in money and valuables.
- No arrests have been made so far and investigators are urging anyone who saw unusual persons or vehicles near the victim’s home to step forward.
- Authorities warned that genuine bank employees and officers never ask for money, valuables or personal data by phone and advised verifying emergencies through official hotlines.
- Officials have observed a rise in increasingly sophisticated multi-stage scams targeting seniors, combining alarming calls, phishing messages and doorstep pickups.