Slovenian woman loses nearly 62,000 euros in online scam

A 67-year-old woman in Izola, Slovenia, has fallen victim to a sophisticated online scam, losing nearly 62,000 euros from her bank account. The victim reported to the Izola police that she had received multiple calls from foreign numbers in recent months. The callers urged her to invest in cryptocurrencies, but she had always ended the conversations and declined the offers.

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When she reviewed her account, she noticed several transfers to foreign accounts that she had not made herself.

She only realized she had been defrauded when she accessed her mobile banking and reviewed her account. She discovered several unauthorized transfers to foreign accounts, totaling almost 62,000 euros. The perpetrators' methods are becoming increasingly convincing, with scammers often posing as financial advisors or cryptocurrency experts.

These fraudsters frequently target older citizens with promises of quick and substantial profits. The scam can be as simple as tricking a victim into installing remote access software, which might appear to be a legitimate application, or obtaining online banking login details and security codes. Fake investment offers, especially those involving cryptocurrencies, are particularly dangerous. Scammers may initially show fake profits to encourage further investment.

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It is enough to install the wrong application, provide a security code or login details for online banking.

When victims attempt to withdraw their money, scammers often demand additional payments for alleged taxes or fees. By the time the victim realizes the fraud, the money has often been transferred to overseas accounts, making recovery extremely difficult. Police and banks urge caution with unexpected calls and advise against sharing banking credentials, one-time passwords, or security codes with unknown individuals. They also warn against installing remote access programs on computers or phones at the behest of strangers. Fake websites that mimic legitimate bank pages are another common tactic. Police are investigating the incident to determine how the perpetrator gained access to the woman's funds.

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Scammers can be extremely persistent and, in recent years, have become increasingly convincing, also with the help of artificial intelligence.