Pensioner set trap for telephone scammers in Nyíregyháza
An elderly man's suspicion and cooperation helped expose a Ukrainian national who attempted to defraud him of 12 million forints.
Pensioner set trap for telephone scammers in Nyíregyháza
On 20 April, staff from Nyíregyháza Police Headquarters arrested a Ukrainian man in Budapest after a suspicious elderly victim cooperated with them – as reported by Police.hu.
The pensioner was called on 19 April by unknown individuals who posed as employees of the National Investigation Office. They claimed that the victim's securities account was about to be closed, and he should immediately go to the bank and withdraw his savings of 12 million forints. The money would allegedly be taken by an investigator for safekeeping, and he would be given a receipt for it.
The man initially believed the official-sounding request and went to his bank. However, he was told there that due to security reasons, such a large withdrawal could only be processed the next day. After that, he became suspicious and visited the local police headquarters.
The investigators decided to set a trap for the criminals. The next morning, the victim arrived at the headquarters, where a police officer played the role of a bank employee. The sound of a money-counting machine was downloaded from the internet to make the transaction appear genuine. The "security guard" also said goodbye to the elderly man. Then they set off together to the victim's home.
The scammers kept up continuous telephone contact. When they asked the victim to photograph the bank receipt, he refused by saying he did not understand how to send pictures. Later, a courier arrived for the money. As soon as he stepped onto the street, the officers in hiding arrested him. The courier shouted that he was just a courier, and this partly carried into the flat as well. The scammer on the line asked about it, whereupon the elderly man walked to the window and said that children were cycling on the street and probably one of them had shouted. The criminal believed the explanation.
The arrested courier eventually cooperated, and with the prosecutor's approval, the officers accompanied him to Budapest. In the capital, at the designated meeting point, investigators swooped on Ukrainian national V. M., who struggled so fiercely that six officers were needed to restrain him.
The court ordered the detention of V. M. for attempted fraud causing significant damage.
Source: Google News HU — Crime (hu)