Savings swindled

“Police trick” fraudster arrested in Vienna

A "police trick" fraudster was arrested in Vienna. (symbolic image)(Bild: Pressefoto Scharinger/Daniel Scharinger)

A suspected "police trick" fraudster has been arrested in Vienna. The 26-year-old is said to have initiated the crimes via a call center in Turkey. The woman is said to be responsible for 19 scams from May 2023 to this year in February, ten of which were attempted. 

Most of the victims were elderly Viennese women. According to a statement from the Lower Austrian police, the loss amounts to around 2.1 million euros - including the attempts.

The alleged telephone operator was investigated by the "False Police Investigation Group" at the Lower Austrian State Criminal Police Office together with the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Public Prosecutor's Office for Economic Affairs and Corruption.

Scammed out of savings
The victims were defrauded of their savings or attempts were made to lure valuables out of them. After her arrest in Vienna in March, the 26-year-old was sent to Vienna-Josefstadt prison. The woman will have to answer to the Vienna Regional Court for Criminal Matters for serious commercial fraud.

"The investigation team has done a good job since it was set up in the fall of 2022 and has already been able to take more than 135 perpetrators out of circulation throughout Austria. Anyone who thinks they can pretend to be a police officer will be caught by the police," said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP).

Robbery in uniform
The "police trick" involves faking a call from police officers or detectives. Victims are tricked into handing over valuables or money to the supposed law enforcement agency.