Fraud warning: Seniors from Hamm victims of a perfidious phone stitch!

Fraud warning: Seniors from Hamm victims of a perfidious phone stitch!

On April 29, 2025, an 87-year-old senior citizen from Hamm became the victim of a shocking fraud. At 2:30 p.m. she received a call from an unknown number. The caller pretended to be a prosecutor and claimed that the senior daughter had caused a serious traffic accident in which two people died. This shocking message was used by the fraudsters to put pressure on the senior citizen and request a deposit for the release of her daughter. Ultimately, the elderly woman handed over cash in the five -digit range to a male messenger. The Hamm criminal police have taken over the investigation.

The Hamm police urgently warns of similar fraud stitches. It is important not to react to calls of this kind. The police's advice includes non-dealt with or transferring money and questioning such news. "The police never ask for money or valuables," said a police spokesman. The elderly woman was victims of a particularly perfidious stitch that is also becoming more and more common in other regions.

warning of shock calls

The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has been warning of so -called "shock calls" for some time. This fraud stitch has increased in frequency lately. The perpetrators often use an emotional address and pretend to be close to relatives in emergencies. They create a feeling of urgency and put the victims under pressure to ask financial support. Older people in particular who are emotionally affected often fall into these stitches, as the case of the senior citizen from Hamm shows.

A typical procedure of the fraudsters includes simulating a serious incident, such as a traffic accident in which an alleged family member is involved. This tactic uses the shock moment to persuade the victims to a quick and rash reaction. "As in many cases of this kind, the victim sees himself in the situation of having to act immediately," reports the BKA. Often there are several callers in the background that reinforce each other - a system that aims to distract those affected from their common sense.

what sacrifices should do

The citizens are urgently asked to set up immediately when receiving such calls and contact the local police station. The police also advise you to recall relatives under known numbers to clarify the situation. Important prevention measures also include not revealing any personal or financial information on the phone. The BKA emphasizes that no police or official institution will ever request cash or valuables by telephone.

The increase in shock calls is also observed by the "Weissen Ring", a victim aid association. Here, affected people are encouraged to take advantage of help and to find out about the applicable protective measures. Experience shows that shock calls often remain hidden under the victims, since many out of shame or fear of further attacks do not talk about it.

Investigations against the perpetrators are now also internationally in cooperation with Polish authorities. These increased measures are intended to help hold the fraudsters and prevent further attempts at fraud. This is done by a joint investigation team (JIT), which has already achieved success in several cases.

Enlightenment about these fraud stitches is essential. Older people should be sensitized to protect themselves from emotional manipulation by fraudsters. The police and other institutions are increasingly focusing on prevention work to raise awareness of these dangerous calls.