An elderly couple in their 80s in Täby, Sweden, was defrauded of gold items on February 24. The couple contacted police after a scammer visited their home, took their gold, and fled. The fraud began with a text message from a company claiming an unpaid invoice.
The couple called back a number provided in the text and spoke to individuals who convinced them that someone had used their details for online shopping, posing a burglary risk, and that an insurance company would help by photographing their valuables. Shortly after, a man arrived at their home, viewed their valuables, and attempted to leave with their jewelry. The couple realized something was wrong but could not detain him, and he disappeared.
The stolen goods are valued at tens of thousands of kronor. Police conducted a search with dogs and a helicopter but did not find the suspect. Authorities advise verifying company phone numbers independently, not calling back numbers from unexpected texts or emails, not letting strangers into homes, and being willing to be impolite.