Rise in 'shock call' scamsFake police officers demand large sums of money and jewellery

The procedure of these scams always follows a similar pattern. The victims receive phone calls, with the caller pretending to be a police officer, a representative from the public prosecutor’s office, or even a family member. The fraudsters claim that a family member has been involved in an accident and that the victim must post bail for their release.

The scammers employ coercion and psychological pressure to manipulate the victims into agreeing to hand over money or jewellery. In some cases, the criminals personally visit the victim’s residence to collect the purported “bail,” while in other instances, they arrange for the items to be delivered to a designated location.

The police stress that no such bail system exists in Luxembourg, and law enforcement or other authorities in the country would never demand residents to surrender money or valuables over the phone.

In a recent incident, bank staff became aware of a potential victim when an elderly woman attempted to withdraw a significant sum of cash. The woman explained that she needed the money to pay a five-figure bail. The staff informed the woman that this was a scam, and the transaction was prevented.

RTL Today: Public Awareness Campaign: Safeguarding senior citizens from scams

Examples of shock calls from the Munich police (in German)

Tips from the police

There are simple precautions to take to avoid becoming a victim of such a scam:

• Avoid letting third parties know too many personal details about you.

• Have your first name shortened in the telephone directory by your telephone provider or leave it out altogether. This will make it more difficult for the phone scammers to find you.

• Ask for their telephone number and check it.

• If necessary, try to reach your allegedly implicated family member by phone.

• Hang up if in doubt.

• Never make a decision impulsively.

• Do not give any information about your assets.

• If you receive or have received such a call, we ask you to notify the Police immediately and under no circumstances to respond to the perpetrators’ demands.

• It should also be noted that Luxembourg police officers always speak Luxembourgish.

• If you have any doubts about the credibility of a person claiming to be a police officer, do not hesitate to contact a police station.

If you have been the victim of such a scam, contact a police station immediately and file a complaint.

We also ask you to inform and educate your fellow elderly people in particular about this scam.