Retiree Fell for "Bail Trick": More Victims Sought

On February 19, a pensioner from Villach was contacted by unknown perpetrators by phone around 4:00 PM. The callers, posing as officials, told the woman that her daughter was involved in a serious traffic accident with an eleven-year-old girl. To prevent an alleged imprisonment, they demanded bail in the low six-figure range.

Fake Police Officers Obtain Six-Figure Sum with "Bail Trick"

In her state of shock, the pensioner followed the scammers' instructions and handed over the requested cash to an address given to her in Villach. The recipient posed as a police officer.

After the handover had already taken place, the perpetrators demanded more assets. Another money handover was arranged. However, the pensioner eventually recognized the fraud and informed her daughter, who immediately notified the police.

Second Money Handover Prevented: Suspect Arrested

The investigators were able to arrest the collector – a 31-year-old Serbian citizen – at around 6:00 PM during the second money handover. During his arrest, the previously obtained cash was secured in his backpack and returned to the pensioner. The 31-year-old man was taken to the Klagenfurt prison.

According to the police, it is now being investigated whether the arrested individual is involved in other fraud cases related to the "bail trick" scheme. Additionally, a photo of the suspect has been published. Possible further victims are asked to contact the investigators of the Lower Austria State Criminal Police Office at the phone number 059133-30-3333.

(Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.