Fraudsters posing as clinic and police staff scam elderly out of nearly €76,000
Lithuania Scammers impersonating healthcare workers and police officers have defrauded elderly residents of Vilnius, Vilnius District, and Klaipėda out of nearly €76,000, Lithuanian public broadcaster LRT reports.
The fraudsters, who communicated in Russian, targeted victims via phone calls, convincing them to hand over cash to unknown individuals who arrived at their homes. In one case, police successfully detained a suspect in Vilnius after he returned to collect additional money from a victim.
A 73-year-old man reported losing €12,810 on Tuesday after receiving a call from individuals claiming to be telecom employees and police officers. When the suspect, a 17-year-old, returned the following day to collect another €10,000, he was arrested. Authorities have launched a pre-trial investigation into fraud and the impersonation of public officials.
Other victims included:
- A 64-year-old woman in Vilnius defrauded of €11,130 by callers posing as clinic staff and police.
- A 78-year-old woman in Vilnius District who lost €10,000 to scammers using the same tactic.
- A 86-year-old woman in Klaipėda tricked out of €25,300.
- A 84-year-old woman in Vilnius who handed over €16,750 to a stranger at her door after receiving a call from individuals claiming to be tax inspectors and police.
In all cases, victims voluntarily gave cash to unknown individuals who arrived at their homes following the fraudulent calls.