In a recent report by Lithuanian police, it was revealed that scammers inflicted a staggering 34 million euros in damages on the population last year. Police officials indicated that as of now, in the current year alone, damages have already surpassed 4 million euros, highlighting a concerning trend in financial crimes. Despite efforts from law enforcement agencies that have seemingly reduced the number of fraud incidents, the financial consequences of these scams continue to grow significantly.

The Deputy Chief of the Police Command, O. Plesko, noted that while overall reports of criminal acts related to fraud are declining, there is an alarming rise in the scale of damages caused by these crimes. According to Plesko, smaller fraud cases are becoming more prevalent, yet they result in larger financial losses for victims. This indicates a troubling shift whereby the efficiency of scam operations may be increasing, allowing perpetrators to extract more money from their victims, even as the number of scams appears to be decreasing.

Additionally, growing concerns have arisen around specific scam tactics, particularly involving phone calls from individuals impersonating utility representatives, bank employees, or police officers. The most notable trend reported is scammers posing as telecommunications operators, electric utility staff, or even police officers, using these impersonations to instigate trust and manipulate victims into providing sensitive information or transferring funds. The ongoing challenges of combating such sophisticated scams continue to call for heightened awareness and precaution measures among the public.