Fraudster tricks elderly woman in Klaipėda out of €16,000

A fraudster posing as a relative conned an 85-year-old woman in Klaipėda out of €16,000 after striking up a conversation with her on the street, Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT) reports.

The victim reported the incident to Klaipėda County Police on Wednesday, stating that an unknown Russian-speaking woman approached her on Tuesday around 11:00. The fraudster claimed to be the daughter of the elderly woman’s acquaintance and said her relative had broken a leg. She then accompanied the victim home and deceived her into handing over the money.

Police have launched a pre-trial investigation into the fraud.

Three additional fraud cases were reported to authorities in Vilnius and Panevėžys on the same day. A 64-year-old woman in Vilnius told police she was called on March 3 by unknown individuals—speaking Lithuanian and Russian—who posed as telecom company employees and police officers. They tricked her into transferring €15,000.

A 76-year-old woman in Vilnius reported losing €25,000 after receiving multiple calls between March 12 and 16 from scammers impersonating telecom workers, bank employees, and police. In Panevėžys, a 46-year-old woman was defrauded of €6,066 on March 21 after clicking a link sent by someone posing as a store representative.