“Mom, my phone fell and broke, I need help” – this is the message a 62-year-old woman from the commune of Podedwórze (Lubelskie Voivodeship) received from a scammer impersonating her daughter. The woman received a link to the application, and with it a request for financial assistance and paying bills. Without a second thought, she decided to help and lost the money.
A 62-year-old resident of the Podedwórze commune reported to the Parczew police unit, who reported that she had fallen victim to a scammer. According to the police, the report of the reporting person showed that she received a text message saying “Mom, this is my new number, my phone fell and broke, write to me on Whatsapp”, and with it a link to download the application.
Scammers impersonated the daughter of a 62-year-old womanKPP Parczew
He impersonated his daughter, asked to pay the bills
When the 62-year-old installed the application on her phone, correspondence immediately began with the new phone number. – The sender of the message, using the information obtained and the woman’s trust, impersonated her daughter. After a few moments, the received messages asked for financial assistance in the execution of several transactions. The reason was supposed to be the new “daughter” number, which has not yet been registered. She was allegedly unable to log into the bank to pay her bills. Of course, the next day the money was to be returned – informs staff sergeant Ewelina Semeniuk from the police in Parczew.
A fraudster, impersonating the daughter of a 62-year-old woman, extorted money from herKPP Parczew
She made transfers, lost over seven thousand zlotys
As the police further reports, the 62-year-old, as requested, made two immediate transfers to the bank accounts provided by the sender of the message for a total amount of over PLN 7,000. – It was only in the evening that the woman called her daughter, with whom she allegedly wrote. The young woman made her aware that she had been the victim of a scam and that she had not contacted her today and had not asked for any help, said Sergeant Semeniuk.
The woman only realized after talking to her daughter that she had been deceived KPP Parczew
Police urge caution
The 62-year-old called the bank’s hotline, blocked the account, but could not undo the transactions already made. She then reported the matter to the police. – At the time of submitting the notification to the police station, she received another text message with a request for a transfer of over two thousand zlotys, which she also forwarded to the uniformed officers – Ewelina Semeniuk informed.
And she appealed for caution in these contacts by telephone and via instant messengers. – Scammers manipulate our emotions, make us provide them with the necessary information about ourselves, thus giving them a chance to act. As a result, we often lose our life savings. Let’s be vigilant, verify the information we hear and don’t give the scammer a chance.
Main photo source: Shutterstock/KPP Parczew