Residents of Ventspils Lost Nearly 20,000 Euros to Scammers 0 9

The police received two reports from elderly women in Ventspils about cases of fraud — they transferred significant sums of money to scammers.

According to a police representative, in the first case, an elderly woman reported that she received several phone calls from individuals claiming to be employees of a mobile operator, a bank, and the police. The scammers found out that she had cash at home and convinced her that it needed to be declared. A man first came to her home, to whom she handed over her bank card and PIN code, and later the same person returned for the cash. The man assured her that he would declare the money and return it within an hour, but this did not happen. Additionally, her bank card was used at least four times to withdraw money. As a result, the woman was defrauded of nearly 4,400 euros.

The second case of fraud lasted more than a week. The woman began receiving calls on December 5. First, a supposed courier called, stating that he was delivering a letter and asked for her name, surname, and personal code. The woman provided this information, emphasizing that she would not provide her banking details, to which the caller replied that they were not needed. During the conversation, the victim began receiving requests in the Smart-ID application, which she confirmed. Thus, five loans were issued in her name. The caller assured her that the funds received in her account — over 15,000 euros — needed to be transferred to two foreign bank accounts, which she did.

As a result, 3,000 euros remained in the victim's account since the transfer limit was reached. The scammers indicated that this money needed to be withdrawn at an ATM and placed in a parcel machine, but due to the reached limit, this could not be done. According to the victim, her bank card was blocked. The woman contacted her bank, made an appointment, and submitted a request for a new card. A week later, she received it, withdrew the remaining 3,000 euros, and, as the scammers had previously indicated, placed it in an envelope in the parcel machine.

Criminal proceedings have been initiated by the police in both cases. In both instances, the scammers communicated with the women in Russian.

The police remind that police officers and other state institution employees never call to request cash, bank cards, or account details. Such conversations should be terminated immediately. If there are doubts about the caller's identity, it is necessary to contact the relevant institution using the number provided on its official page.

The police urge everyone to be particularly vigilant and remind them of safety measures that can be found on the police website. If fraud is suspected, it is essential to report it immediately to the bank and the police. If fraud has already occurred, one should call 112 and contact their bank.