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Danger! Con artists in Munich surprise seniors at the front door!
Munich police warn of paper trick scammers who attack seniors at their front door. Citizens should provide information.
Danger! Con artists in Munich surprise seniors at the front door!
In recent days, a new scam has been worrying Munich police and senior citizens. Officials warn of con artists who deliberately surprise senior citizens at their front door by pretending to be harmless people. It is the so-called “paper trick”, in which the perpetrators ask the victims for a piece of paper and a pen. While the attention is focused on the supposed service, everything is being secretly stolen from the apartment. The authorities report that several incidents were registered in the Munich city area. According to tz.de, there have already been three highly worrying cases in the last few days that are exemplary of this new scam.
A particularly tragic incident occurred on August 21st in Berg am Laim, when a woman over 80 years old was asked for a piece of paper and a pen by a woman of southern European appearance. Meanwhile, an accomplice ransacked the apartment and stole a suitcase containing valuable jewelry worth several thousand euros. Two women from Eastern Europe also tried the same thing in Schwabing, but had no luck and escaped without any loot. A third case in Moosach ended no less dramatically: A man sneaked in as a helpful fellow citizen, and while he was helping the elderly woman write, he stole several hundred euros in cash.
Caution and education are key
The police urge people to be extremely careful and want to raise awareness, especially among senior citizens. An urgent note: unknown people should never be allowed into the apartment. Government ID cards must also be checked in any case to ensure that they are genuine officials. If you are unsure, you should contact the relevant authorities by telephone, as the police recommend: “Never hand over money to unknown people” and “Don’t let unknown people into your apartment” are two of the key pieces of advice. Also the [police Hesse](https://www.polizei.hessen.de/schutz-sicherheit/rat-und-sorge/sicherheit-fuer-senioren/broker.jsp?uMen=f05 70ee1-825a-f6f8-6373-a91bbcb63046&uCon=3d4306e0-4d7c-1971-d4c7-17b103b95c53&uTem=bff71055-bb1d-50f1-2860-72700266cb59) sees an enormous need for action, because other types of fraud such as the “grandchild trick” or fake police officers are unfortunately common methods that also target senior citizens’ money.
The police are also calling on people to be vigilant, not only in their own homes, but also with seemingly harmless offers, such as so-called coffee rides, which are also often used by fraudsters to pressure seniors into overpriced purchases.
Fraud protection measures
In the fight against fraud, it is crucial to educate older people about common scams. The Pflegehilfe emphasizes that the trust of seniors is often abused in order to steal money. Recommended protective measures include:
- Bei Anrufen und unerwarteten Besuchen skeptisch sein.
- Die Identität des Anrufers durch gezielte Fragen überprüfen.
- Keine Entscheidungen unter Druck treffen.
- Familienangehörige informieren und verdächtige Anrufe sofort melden.
These preventative measures are particularly important to protect seniors from financial and emotional harm. Despite a decline in the general crime rate, many older people have a strong sense of insecurity that urgently needs to be addressed.
In summary, a mixture of caution, information and mutual support in the neighborhood is the best protection against these brazen schemes. Be vigilant and help protect the elderly members of our society!