The Virovitica-Podravina Police Department has received four criminal complaints in which citizens, mostly elderly, lost significant sums of money through various forms of online manipulation.
In the past seven days, police in the Virovitica-Podravina County have recorded four criminal reports related to internet and investment fraud. The total damage suffered by the victims exceeds 178,000 euros. The Virovitica-Podravina Police Department has decided to publicly disclose the details of these cases to raise awareness among citizens about the increasingly sophisticated methods used by perpetrators.
The largest loss was reported by a 75-year-old man from the Orahovica area. After responding to an online advertisement, he handed over a total of 120,000 euros to fraudulent intermediaries. On two occasions, he gave 80,000 euros in cash to an unknown man at his home address.
In Slatina, a 73-year-old man lost 54,000 euros. He made multiple payments under the pretext of fictitious taxes and fees, hoping to receive a payout of 110,000 euros from stock trading, which turned out to be a scam.
In Virovitica, a 74-year-old woman paid 4,000 euros as an initial deposit and fees in a gold and oil fraud. Fortunately, the transaction was quickly halted, avoiding an additional loss of 2,000 euros.
The fourth case involves a 67-year-old woman who paid 436 euros to a foreign account after receiving a fake SMS message: "Mom, my phone is broken..." from someone posing as her daughter.
The Virovitica-Podravina Police Department emphasizes that perpetrators use elaborate scenarios and various forms of manipulation to deceive their victims. They once again call on citizens to exercise maximum caution when communicating with unknown individuals via the internet and mobile applications.
"If you suspect any form of fraud, immediately cease all further communication and report the incident to the police by calling 192 or by visiting the nearest police station in person," the Virovitica-Podravina Police Department stated.
