In one year, fraud cases have increased by almost 300 percent. Now the district office and police headquarters are jointly intensifying the investigation.
Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen – It usually starts with a phone call. What follows is hard to beat in terms of manipulative deceit. Shock calls, grandchild tricks or phone calls with fake police officers not only cost many people a lot of nerves. The scammers are after money and valuables – and too often get what they want.
Trick fraud: increase of almost 300 percent – police and district office together against shock calls
In 2022, the con artists captured just under 2.4 million euros in the precinct of the Upper Bavaria South police headquarters, according to their own statements. By comparison, in 2021 it was 607,000 euros – an increase of almost 300 percent. Reason enough for the police to intensify their educational work on the subject of trickery. Since the preferred target group of criminals are older people, the police headquarters is now relying on cooperation with the senior citizens' representatives of the district offices, according to a press release. According to her own statements, Christiane Bäumler from the Department of Senior Citizens and Participation was present for the district office.
"Even though it is reported in the media every week, the number of calls from the call centers and thus the victims does not stop," writes the press office of the police headquarters. That is why the senior citizens' representatives of all nine districts of the district and the city of Rosenheim met for a conference in mid-May. "The aim here was to jointly develop and optimize further contacts with the older generation."
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Cyberfraud and Love Scamming: Scams are becoming more and more complex
After experts from the police explained the educational work carried out so far, the senior citizens' representatives turned their attention to the topics of the Internet, burglary protection and, most recently, the focus on fraud. In addition to the classic telephone fraud, there are other damaging scams. This includes "cybertrading fraud", in which victims are led to believe that they are making lucrative investments on the Internet.
Not to forget "love scamming". In this approach, criminals contact their victims via social media or dating platforms, fake a romantic relationship with expressions of love and attention, and demand money for pretended reasons. The police emphasizes: "Not only the actual victims are harmed, but also their heirs." The subsequent discussion about future cooperation between authorities, the security forces and the possible victims was "extremely beneficial", according to the statement.
The police recommend dealing with the phenomenon of trickery. Sensitivity to financial transactions and confidential information is just as much a part of the prevention of fraud as the exchange of trickery with family members and friends. Neither the police nor any other authority asks by telephone about financial circumstances.
By the way: Everything from the region can also be found in our regular Wolfratshausen-Geretsried newsletter.
