Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: JEAN-BAPTISTE PREMAT / HANS LUCAS / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP 6:45 p.m., April 1, 2024

If you find a 50 euro note on your windshield, be careful. On March 21, the Haute-Garonne national police warned of this scam technique which mainly affects elderly people. Before you rejoice, remember to protect your vehicle.

A poisoned gift to better rob you. To achieve their ends, scammers no longer hesitate to innovate and be more and more creative. On March 21, on Facebook, the Haute-Garonne national police alerted the population to a new scam technique targeting personal vehicles. To do this, scammers play the carrot game with their victims.

The bait of gain

Concretely, a 50 euro note is placed on the windshield of a car. And, unfortunately, drivers only look at this place once they are behind the wheel. This is when the scam begins. Surprised by this gift that fell from the sky, the motorist quickly got out of his vehicle to collect the famous ticket. An approach obviously closely monitored by the crooks, who patiently wait for the moment to take the driver's seat and escape at the wheel of their vehicle.

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Attracted by the tempting gain, the victim does not think to lock the door or even keep the key in his pocket. A short period of time which is more than enough for thieves to seize the car. “Be careful! They deceive your distrust to better rob you,” warns the Haute-Garonne national police in its message published on Facebook. This technique is not new, but the authorities regularly carry out prevention on it in order to protect the elderly in particular, often the target of scammers.

Flat tire scam

But this is not the only strategy that is resurfacing according to law enforcement. In its message on Facebook, the Haute-Garonne national police also warn of the flat tire scam. To do this, the counterfeiter will choose his victim in advance and will deliberately puncture the tire of his vehicle in his absence. When the driver returns and after the latter notices the incident, the crook pretends to be a good Samaritan by offering his help. After the repair, the criminal then encourages people to go to a distributor to receive compensation. It is then, after having gained the trust of his victim, that he takes the opportunity to rob her (credit card, telephone, jewelry, etc.).

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To avoid these situations, law enforcement advises you to be vigilant and to dial 17 if in doubt.