Vienna police warn

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The police in Vienna warn against this new scam.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/LPD Wien)

The Vienna police are currently issuing a warning about an unknown person who is luring victims into paying them money - probably not an isolated case.

Since the police or nephew scam, we have learned from painful experience that freely invented stories that sound particularly sad are often used by brazen fraudsters. On March 19, a stranger on Mariahilfer Strasse tried it in a very creative way. She told a Viennese woman a tearful story. She still owed her trafficker money. Because the victim obviously had a big heart, she ran to the nearest bank branch and handed over thousands of euros to the alleged refugee.

Well-organized network
The police are now looking for the woman, who could be responsible for many more scams. There is growing evidence that it is a well-organized network of fraudsters whose backers are probably based in the Balkans.

Who knows this woman?(Bild: FÜRST Nicole (LPD Wien), Krone KREATIV)

"Gang knows everything about their victims"
Mehrdad B. was defrauded in October 2023, he explains: "The gang knows everything about their victims and the perpetrators are clever and well equipped. However, the young women from Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Macedonia or Albania are just small contract offenders who work for large gangs - usually under duress. They are involved in prostitution, commercial begging, drugs, robbery, cybercrime and, of course, fraud," says the Viennese. As soon as the criminals are "successful", they move on to the next target, whether at home or abroad.

Possible tips (also anonymous) on the identity of the suspects to: 0664/614 36 76.