In the Valmiera region, a man born in 1962 handed over money to the same scammer three times, reported Zane Vasakne, a specialist in the public relations department of the State Police.
According to initial information, in January, a man received a phone call from a woman who introduced herself as an employee of a courier service. She informed him about an allegedly expected package and asked for his personal details to "confirm his identity" and to verify actions using Smart-ID codes. The man followed all the instructions.
Shortly after that, he received a call from another person who introduced himself as a bank lawyer. He claimed that the previous call was from scammers and promised the bank's assistance in resolving the situation. During the conversation, a quick loan of 8800 euros was issued in the man's name, which he confirmed using Smart-ID, following the scammers' instructions.
The criminals instructed him to withdraw money from his bank account and hand it over to a courier who was supposedly going to deliver the funds to the Bank of Latvia. Additionally, 3000 euros needed to be transferred to a bank account abroad — allegedly to protect the money from scammers.
A few days later, the man received information that his bank card was supposedly blocked. The same person who had previously introduced himself as a bank lawyer instructed him to go to the bank and explain that the money was needed for repairs and other personal needs in order to unblock the card.
Later, another person called him, introducing himself as a police officer. He claimed that there might be a scammer working at the bank and stated that the man was allegedly under video surveillance. He also indicated that explanations at the bank needed to be given strictly according to the script previously dictated by the fake lawyer.
In total, there were three meetings with the same courier, during which the man handed over 7200 euros in cash. All individuals involved in this case communicated with the victim in Russian. The exact amount of damage is currently being clarified, Vasakne reported. A criminal process has been initiated regarding the incident, and an investigation is underway.
The State Police once again urges residents to be particularly vigilant and reminds them that employees of banks, police, and government institutions never ask to confirm financial transactions using Smart-ID or to hand over cash to third parties. Scammers often create a sense of urgency, frighten individuals with potential financial losses or investigations, and demand immediate actions, depriving a person of the opportunity to verify information.
If you receive a suspicious call or message, the police recommend immediately ceasing communication, not disclosing personal data or banking codes, and not conducting any financial transactions. In such situations, one should independently contact their bank using only official contacts or reach out to the State Police at the emergency number 112.
The police also urge discussing the risks of fraud with loved ones, especially with elderly people who are often targeted by criminals.
