Elderly woman loses 100,000 euros in German phone scam

An elderly woman in Greiz, Germany, has fallen victim to a sophisticated phone scam, losing a significant sum of 100,000 euros along with several gold coins. The incident highlights the persistent threat of "shock calls" targeting vulnerable individuals.

The 79-year-old victim received a distressing phone call on Wednesday. The caller falsely claimed that a close relative had been involved in a fatal traffic accident and that a large sum of money was needed as bail to prevent their imprisonment. Tragically, the woman believed the story and complied with the scammer's demands.

Later that afternoon, the perpetrator arrived at the woman's home to collect the cash and gold coins. The police were subsequently alerted and are now investigating the incident. They have reissued a strong warning to the public about the dangers of such fraudulent calls.

Authorities stress that neither the police nor the public prosecutor's office ever solicit cash or valuables as bail. They urge citizens to remain vigilant and to verify any such demands by contacting official channels directly before parting with any money or assets.

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Neither police nor the public prosecutor's office ever demand the handover of cash or valuables as bail.