Shock call in Hesse: 90-year-old loses €450,000 to fraudsters posing as police
A 90-year-old from Gießen district handed over coins, gold bars and cash worth over €450,000 to fraudsters. Nationwide, fake police officers reaped around €49.5 million in 2025.
90-year-old from Gießen district hands over €450,000 after fraud call
A senior citizen from a small town in Gießen district became a victim of a so-called shock call, losing coins, gold bars and cash worth over €450,000. This is reported by BILD citing police.
The 90-year-old received a call at home from a man claiming to be a police officer. The caller alleged that a relative of the senior had caused a fatal traffic accident – only bail could prevent the woman from going to prison. Police spokesman Pierre Gath said: "The criminal applied so much pressure that the senior eventually handed over collected coins, gold bars and cash to an unknown person who came to collect them."
Only later did doubts arise in the victim. He confided in a neighbour, who immediately contacted the police. Gath confirmed that investigations are ongoing and the value of the items stolen is estimated at over €450,000 based on preliminary assessments.
This case is not an isolated one. According to the crime statistics of the Federal Criminal Police Office, fake police officers in Germany reaped around €49.5 million nationwide in 2025 – compared with €30.1 million in 2024. The number of registered fraud cases rose during the same period from 3,946 to 4,646.
Police spokesman Gath describes two common methods used by the perpetrators: in the classic shock call, fraudsters pose as police officers and claim that a relative has caused a serious accident – only payment would prevent imprisonment. In a second scheme, they claim that a gang of burglars has been arrested in the neighbourhood who were carrying lists with the names of those called. The police would therefore need to secure valuables.
Gath makes clear: "Genuine police never ask for valuables over the telephone!" His advice for such calls: hang up immediately, never hand over valuables to strangers and inform the police.
Source: BILD