Fraudsters swindled 321 thousand euros from residents
Fraud schemes in Lithuania have resulted in residents losing a total of 321 thousand euros to scammers posing as officials.
In a series of fraudulent activities reported in Vilnius, various residents have fallen prey to scammers who falsely posed as officials and service representatives. One notable case involved a company director who was deceived into transferring 149 thousand euros for medical equipment that was never delivered, based on manipulated invoice details. This incident underscores a significant trend of scams that target both individuals and businesses, often exploiting the victim's trust in official communications.
Another victim, a woman born in 1964, reported an incident from last September where she was persuaded by Russian-speaking scammers to invest in a dubious internet platform, resulting in a loss of 111 thousand euros. Similarly, a 1941-born man recounted a similar experience where Russian-speaking fraudsters, masquerading as electric company workers and police officers, tricked him into surrendering 34.5 thousand euros. This pattern highlights a concerning method where scammers leverage languages and roles that victims may recognize as authoritative, making their deception more convincing.
Additionally, a 1946-born woman shared her ordeal of being defrauded of 16 thousand euros by individuals who claimed to be bank employees and police officers. The frequency of these scams raises alarms within communities, prompting local authorities in Kalvarija to increase awareness and prevention efforts against such financial crimes, as the deception becomes more sophisticated and widespread, affecting vulnerable populations across the region.