Receipt fraud spreading in Central Uusimaa – police warn of scams
East Uusimaa police are warning of fraud involving forged receipts. In the worst case, a car buyer was defrauded of a vehicle worth nearly €20,000.
Forged receipt displayed on phone screen – car or goods change hands
East Uusimaa police are warning of receipt fraud scams that have come to light several times during spring, according to keski-uusimaa.fi. The victims have been primarily private individuals, but also businesses.
Cases have been recorded in Tuusula, Järvenpää, Porvoo and Hyvinkää.
"There are likely more cases than this," says Janne Vuorio, investigation leader and commissioner, in a statement.
The scams have followed the same pattern: the perpetrator presents a forged receipt or document, which allows the victim to hand over goods or withdraw money. The fake receipt is usually shown on a mobile phone screen or sent as a screenshot.
Some cases have occurred on online sales platforms, others through personal contacts. The value of the scams has varied from a few hundred euros to thousands of euros.
In the worst individual case, a car buyer lost a vehicle worth nearly €20,000. According to Vuorio, the car obtained through the fraud was registered in a straw man's name and sold on quickly.
Source: Google News FI — Crime (fi)