Stralsund (dpa / mv) - A pensioner couple from the island of Rügen has lost 30,000 euros to con artists. As a police spokeswoman said on Wednesday, strangers tricked the seniors on Tuesday with a so-called shock call. A supposed policewoman told the 80-year-old man on the phone that his daughter had caused a fatal traffic accident and was in court.
An alleged senior public prosecutor then got involved and told the shocked couple that their daughter would not have to be taken into custody if they paid cash, police said.
The senior got 20,000 euros from a bank and handed over a total of around 30,000 euros to a messenger not far from the Stralsund district court. Police are looking for a round-faced man, about 1.70 meters tall, with close-fitting hair and wearing dark everyday clothing, who was carrying a shoulder bag.
When the daughter did not contact the waiting couple even after the money had been handed over, the betrayed became suspicious and went to the police. The police recommended that in such cases it would be better to dial the emergency number 110 and make sure.
