A usual meeting near the OD Slimák shopping center on Hálkova street in the Bratislava district of Nové Mesto ended with the loss of almost all savings: the woman handed over 15,200 euros in cash to the scammer. Only after that did she realize she had become a victim of a scam and contacted the police.
The case is being investigated by police officers of the District Police Department in the Bratislava III district. On August 15, law enforcement published a photo of the suspect and ask for public help: if you recognize the man or have seen him recently — please report it.
How such scams work
The police did not specify the details of the scheme in the report, but the scenario in which people voluntarily give large amounts of cash to strangers is well practiced in Slovakia. Usually, the victim receives calls from “bank employees,” “police officers,” or “relatives in trouble” who persuade them to urgently hand over money to a courier or meet in a public place.
Three rules that protect against this scheme:
- No bank and no police institution will call asking to hand over cash, give SMS codes, or “save an account” by transferring to a “safe number.”
- Pressure and urgency are the main signs of a scam. Scammers deliberately do not give time to think: any “urgent” financial action should be paused for at least an hour.
- Check independently: end the conversation and call the bank or relative yourself at a number you know — not the one given by the caller.
What to do if you recognize the man
Any information about the person in the photo, their movements, or location can be reported in three ways: by calling the free number 158, in person at any police station, or by private message on the official Facebook page of the Bratislava Region police. As the original source writes, the police accept reports anonymously as well.
If you have encountered a similar call yourself — report it, even if you managed to keep your money. Numbers of all emergency services in Slovakia are collected on our important phone numbers page — bookmark it to have it handy.
