Be careful when “Mr. Kropp and Mr. Winkler from the Cologne Police Headquarters” call! The Cologne police are again warning against calls from fake police officers.
Since New Year's Day, fraudsters have called Cologne seniors over 200 times and pretended to be police officers in order to get money and jewelry. On Tuesday (January 7th) they stole several thousand euros from a 75-year-old woman in Cologne-Buchforst.
Victims' assets at risk
On Monday (January 6th) and Tuesday (January 7th), the 75-year-old received several calls from fraudsters posing as “ Mr. Kropp and Mr. Winkler from the Cologne Police Headquarters .” They claimed to have found the senior citizen's names and phone numbers from two arrested burglars. Now the assets of those called are in danger. Through clever conversation, the fake officials found out about the Cologne woman's savings and ultimately got her to take money from the bank and put it in a bag on her doorstep. Shortly afterwards the bag disappeared.
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After the first handover, the fake police officers tried to make further calls to steal even more money from the pensioner, who had now become suspicious. During a phone call, the woman should dial 110 to be sure she is speaking to the real police. But since the line wasn't disconnected, she was actually just talking to another scammer. Later, the unknown people even played a tape on which an apartment break-in was allegedly recorded. The elderly woman did not respond to the demands, hung up and went to a police station with her daughter-in-law.
Police never call from 110
On the occasion of the current case, the Cologne police make it clear: The real police never call 110. In such cases, hang up. Wait for a dial tone and then dial 110 using the telephone keypad. Do not use the redial function. Hang up if someone asks you about your assets!
Source: Police North Rhine-Westphalia / Cologne
Article image: Shutterstock / By Gajus
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