Another case of brazen telephone fraud has been reported in the capital of Slovakia. The victim not only handed over her life savings to the scammers but also took out several loans totaling a huge sum, after trusting calls from people posing as law enforcement officers and National Bank employees.
This was reported by Martina Šemetková, a spokeswoman for the Bratislava Region Police. According to the investigation, detectives have already opened a criminal case regarding fraud committed by a group of individuals acting in concert.
How the scheme worked
The scammers followed a well-rehearsed psychological script: they called the victim and convinced her that her funds were at risk.
Posing as employees of the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) and police officers, the perpetrators forced the woman to withdraw all her personal savings and hand them over to unknown individuals, allegedly for “safekeeping.”
The scammers didn’t stop there. Using fear and intimidation, they convinced the victim to go to several different banks and take out loans totaling 75,000 euros. The woman also handed over the borrowed funds to the scammers, following their instructions.
In just a few days, the victim lost 84,000 euros.
An Important Warning from the Police
Law enforcement officials once again emphasize the basic safety rules that will help you protect your savings:
The police never ask citizens to withdraw cash from their accounts and hand it over to strangers or “couriers.”
Bank employees and NBS staff never instruct customers to withdraw cash or make urgent transfers to other, “safe,” or unfamiliar accounts.
Do not panic. If you receive a call with such demands or threats, hang up immediately, do not transfer any money, and report it to the 158 hotline.
