During the past week, several cases have been noted where elderly people have been exposed to fraud attempts in various ways with links to the coronavirus outbreak. In Hässleholm, a woman was called by a man who offered to buy groceries, and in Uppsala a woman was contacted by a person who claimed to call from the Public Health Authority and who tried to get the code for her bank ID.
At the National Fraud Center in Stockholm, police are now working to identify new forms of fraud targeting the elderly as the corona virus spreads. In recent days, cases have also been noticed where elderly people have been contacted by strangers who have offered to buy food.
- This is something we will soon go out and warn about on a wider front. The basic rule still applies: Never give out cards or codes to unknown persons, says Evert Norberg, preliminary investigator at the National Fraud Center.
"Just take help from people you know"According to him, the police have also received reports of fraudsters pretending to collect money for those infected with the coronavirus.
- It is common in connection with crises and disasters that people pretend to raise money for charitable purposes. One reason why some of them succeed is the general attitude, people urge each other to help as much as possible, not least on social media. It will be an open target for the fraudsters, he says.
The police are now calling on older people, and others who, for various reasons, cannot go out and shop for themselves, not to receive help from people they do not know and trust.
- Of course, the best thing is with family and relatives who can help. In other cases, you may have a neighbor whom you know well or a close friend whom you trust.