Police in the Bergslagen region have issued a warning about ongoing fraud schemes targeting elderly residents in Västerås. According to authorities, multiple elderly people were contacted by fraudsters on Monday, with scammers pretending to be relatives or representatives from organizations like the police or banks.
The fraud typically involves perpetrators calling or texting victims, claiming they want to come to their homes to 'secure' valuables such as jewelry, cash, or bank cards with PIN codes. In one case, an 83-year-old woman in Västerås was contacted via SMS by someone pretending to be a close relative asking for access to bank account information. The woman reportedly said 'It felt really strange' and contacted her bank's fraud prevention service, successfully stopping the attempt.
It felt really strange
Matilda Eriksson Rehnberg, an investigator and crime prevention officer with Bergslagen police region, stated that victims have lost items worth significant sums to them. Police note that similar fraud waves occurred last spring and appear to follow seasonal patterns, with physical fraud attempts increasing as digital scams decrease slightly.
Authorities are strongly urging the public not to let unknown individuals into their homes and to contact emergency services (112) immediately if someone is on their way to their home or has just left with their valuables. For non-emergency situations, police recommend calling 114 14.
Those who have been exposed have lost things that are worth a significant amount for them