Police warn of scammers posing as officers

Scammers posing as police officers are making increasingly frequent calls in the Feldkirchen district, ORF reported. They try to persuade victims to hand over money or valuables. Police advise people to hang up if in doubt and call the police themselves.

In a typical scenario, callers claim that a burglary gang is operating nearby and that the victim’s name and address are on a list. They offer to take valuables into safe custody, arrange a meeting to collect them and then disappear with the goods.

Police said the scammers exploit people’s trust in the police and their fear of becoming victims of burglary. Anyone who doubts that a caller is really a police officer should end the call. The caller’s identity can be checked, or the attempted fraud reported, via the police service number +43 59 133.

People should not disclose details about their assets or allow themselves to be pressured. Police also advise against letting strangers into the home or handing money and valuables to unknown people. If someone claiming to be a police officer appears at the door, residents should ask to see an official identification card and immediately speak to relatives or friends.

Older people are particularly affected by this type of fraud, police said. Anyone who has been targeted should contact the police immediately and file a report, as the perpetrators may still be caught with the stolen goods.

In a separate case in Klagenfurt, a 73-year-old woman was called by a man claiming to work for a bank. He said suspicious withdrawals had been detected on her account and offered to reverse them. The woman confirmed several transactions in her banking app, allowing the withdrawals to go through. She lost several thousand euros and reported the fraud after discovering what had happened.