An elderly woman from the trading village of Kralevo gave BGN 10,000. after a telephone scam, the press center of the Regional Directorate (OD) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs announced – Targovishte.
The victim is a 76-year-old woman living alone. Yesterday around 12:30 p.m. she received a call on her landline. It was explained to her that her relative was injured in an occupational accident at work and funds were needed for his treatment.
According to the OD of the Ministry of the Interior – Targovishte, the caller identified himself as a police officer. In this way, he misled the elderly woman, causing her property damage in the amount of BGN 10,000.
On the case, pre-trial proceedings were initiated under Art. 209, para. 1 of the Criminal Code.
After rapid investigative actions by employees of the Directorate of Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Regional Administration in Targovishte, a man was found who was complicit in the telephone fraud, said the spokesperson of the Regional Directorate Ani Krasteva. This is a 43-year-old man from the village of A student from Razgrad district, for whom data has been gathered that he played the role of a “mule“ in committing the fraud. At the moment, procedural and investigative actions are being conducted with him.
This is the second telephone scam in the Targovishte region this year, Krasteva told BTA. And he noted that there were also six attempts registered, which were promptly stopped, thanks to the expeditious activity of the police officers. She also noted that the citizens are also prepared and in most cases show resourcefulness, and fraud attempts have remained unfinished.
In the past year, five telephone scams were carried out in the Targovishte region, added Ani Krasteva.
The Regional Directorate in Targovishte reminds citizens not to trust strangers who ask them for money over the phone under any pretext. If they receive such a call, they should promptly contact their loved ones to make sure that the scenario they are being drawn into is a scam. When receiving such calls, citizens should promptly report it to the single European emergency number 112 or call the nearest branch of the Ministry of the Interior.