Be careful, fake police! Fraud uncovered in the Harz district

Be careful, fake police! Fraud uncovered in the Harz district

In tranquil Aspenstedt, in the Harz district, a brazen incident occurred on Tuesday morning: A 73-year-old driver was stopped by two men in police uniforms who pretended to be police officers. These brazen scammers claimed that the woman had violated traffic rules and asked her to pay a so-called “caution fine”. But the woman quickly realized that something was wrong because the police car had no flashing lights and the license plates were from Delitzsch. Before she could call 911, the perpetrators fled.

The description of the two suspects could be crucial. The first man was around 40 years old, had short brown hair and spoke German without an accent. He wore a blue uniform and a baseball cap. His younger accomplice, around 30 years old with blonde curly hair, looked similar and also spoke without an accent. Both had a well-groomed appearance and were actively in control. The police are now looking for witnesses who have had similar experiences or who have observed something suspicious. Information can be given to the Harz police station on 03941/674 293, as Tag24 reports.

Beware of fake police officers

Such incidents are not isolated. Since the end of September 2024, there has been a new, similar modus operandi, as the Federal Criminal Police Office reports. It is mainly Russian perpetrators who contact Ukrainian citizens by telephone or WhatsApp. They pose as employees of the Russian department of the Austrian Federal Police and claim to need information about a criminal who is targeting the victims' assets. In order to secure the victims' money, a collection account at the Austrian National Bank is mentioned.

The fraudsters are well prepared and use fake police ID cards and fake letters from the National Bank. So far, 19 reports have been filed across Austria. The criminal police warn: the real police will never contact in Russian or request money transfers over the phone. Anyone who finds themselves in such a situation should under no circumstances allow themselves to be put under pressure and should immediately call the emergency number 133.

Scams on the rise

The fake police officer scam is part of a larger problem. According to Strafrechtsiegen, there are currently extensive investigations against several defendants who are to be held accountable for fraud. Defendants from Bremen are suspected of attempting to obtain money illegally in various cases on 28 charges. The scams not only involve fake police officers, but also fake bank employees.

This simple but unscrupulous strategy exploits people's trust. The authorities are working to uncover the perpetrators and raise awareness among the population. Therefore, it is important to be vigilant and, if in doubt, contact the actual authorities immediately. Anyone can become a target for these scammers – be it through a careless car ride or an unexpected phone call. So don't be afraid to help those affected or take action yourself.