Scammers trick 98-year-old woman out of over €7,000 in Vilnius

Telephone scammers have defrauded a 98-year-old woman of more than €7,000 in Vilnius, Lithuanian police reported on Thursday, according to public broadcaster LRT.

The elderly victim, born in 1928, contacted authorities after a woman posing as an official called her home on February 17 around noon. The caller deceived the senior into handing over €7,265 in cash to an accomplice who arrived at her residence.

Police have launched pre-trial investigations into the fraud. The case follows a similar incident in Kaunas, where scammers speaking Russian impersonated telecom employees and police officers, swindling a 67-year-old woman out of €12,500 on March 26.

In total, scammers have stolen nearly €20,000 from victims in Vilnius and Kaunas through such schemes, authorities said.