Zug, 07.12.2020

Fraudsters pretending to be police officers

They call their victims, claiming that there is a risk of a burglary. And offer to take care of their victims valuables.

Fraudsters have been at work in the canton since Thursday, posing as police officers on the phone. By Friday afternoon, the police had received several dozen reports from people who spotted the fraud. According to police spokesman Frank Kleiner, the fraudsters pretend to be police employees, and then tell various stories to their intended victims. "For example, that there has been a burglary in the area, and the police have indications that the next break-in will be at the house of the person they are calling." They also warn about an imminent hacking attack on the person’s bank account. "The scammers then offer to place their victim’s valuables and money in a place of safety," explains Frank Kleiner.

The police spokesman emphasises that real police officers from the Zug Police always speak in dialect. "And we never conduct phone surveys regarding valuables or finances." It’s particularly important to warn older people about this scam. The Zug Police advises you to immediately hang up when receiving such calls without providing any further information, and to then call the police via the 117 phone number. "Unfortunately, there are now possibilities that make it look as if the call is coming from one of our phone numbers," he adds. It has also happened that the fraudsters told people that they can directly call the police by entering first a 1, and then the 117. But this only redirects the call back to the fraudsters.

Kleiner also asks the younger population to inform their parents, neighbours or acquaintances about the scammers' tricks. It is important to warn older people in particular. "We are usually only contacted by those people who have seen through the fraud." Those who fall for the trick and give their money to the fraudsters don’t report this to us in most cases, because they feel ashamed of having been fooled. The number of unreported cases of such fraud is correspondingly high. "This can lead to sad cases, especially now in the run-up to Christmas," says Frank Kleiner. In addition to the shame that torments those who have been affected, the loss of savings often leads to financial hardship.