Investment fraud in Ogre: police refuse to initiate criminal case, victim left without protection
An Ogre resident has lost approximately one thousand euros to investment fraudsters, but the State Police have refused to initiate criminal proceedings, citing civil legal relations.
Police refuse to initiate criminal case following investment fraud in Ogre
As reported by Google News LV — Crime (lv), the State Police's Eastern Pierīga precinct in Ogre has refused to initiate criminal proceedings against investment fraudsters who defrauded a resident of approximately one thousand euros. In its decision, the inspector noted that the incident displayed characteristics of civil legal relations.
An Ogre resident contacted the editorial office of the programme "Bez Tabu" and told of the experience of a close acquaintance. The victim, believing promises of easy and substantial profit, transferred money to individuals who claimed to represent an investment platform. They turned out to be fraudsters.
In its explanation to the programme, police stated that the victim had voluntarily entered personal data on the website "Improve your financial situation" with the aim of making a profit. Subsequently, he was instructed by telephone, using WhatsApp, to carry out simulated purchases and sales transactions with ostensibly increasing profit. The bank account to which the money was transferred was registered in Lithuania. The decision reached has not been appealed.
The Ogre resident who helped the acquaintance gather evidence and compile the submission acknowledges that the victim acted carelessly. However, he emphasises that investment fraudsters always fool victims who actively carry out actions themselves — providing data, confirming payments, or transferring money. In his view, the refusal to initiate proceedings creates an impression of State Police inconsistency: in many similar cases, criminal proceedings are nevertheless initiated despite the victim's actions.
Technology expert Elviss Strazdiņš publicly expressed confusion about the police decision:
> "Unfortunately, such a case undermines confidence in the police. We are very often contacted by defrauded people who ask — is it worth contacting the police? We always say — yes, definitely contact them! Refusing to initiate a case is absolutely unjustified. The person was deceived into thinking he was investing in a real platform. Even if he confirmed the payments — nowadays practically all schemes require transactions to be confirmed with Smart-ID. Then you could say that in any scheme a person has confirmed a transaction and is themselves guilty — well, no."
Strazdiņš notes that such a precedent may discourage other fraud victims from reporting to police. The victim and their relatives believe that the refusal to help sends a negative message to society — as if residents themselves were responsible for fraudsters' successful activities and therefore do not deserve state protection.
Source: Google News LV — Crime (lv)