Bulgaria: Elderly Woman Falls Victim to Phone Fraud, Loses Thousands

An 86-year-old woman fell victim to a telephone scam, losing a significant BGN 26,000 to cunning fraudsters. The Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in Haskovo confirmed the unfortunate incident, explaining how the deceptive scammers operated.

According to reports from the authorities, the ordeal unfolded yesterday evening at around 7:30 p.m. The elderly victim recounted receiving a distressing call earlier in the day at 1:00 p.m., ostensibly from her granddaughter residing in Germany with her daughter. At that moment, the receiver was picked up by a man who introduced himself as a doctor.

The fraudulent doctor informed the elderly woman that her granddaughter's residence had encountered a water heater explosion, resulting in severe eye injuries that could potentially lead to blindness.  He claimed that a surgery costing 300,000 euros was necessary. Upon the woman mentioning she had only BGN 26,000, the alleged doctor assured her that it would cover the cost of contact lenses.

The unsuspecting victim, moved by familial concern and a sense of urgency, complied with the fraudulent instructions. Under the guise of arranging aid, the scammer directed her to hand over the money to an accomplice, supposedly dispatched to her location. Succumbing to the ruse, the elderly woman obediently parted with her savings, relinquishing the substantial sum to a woman described as plump, with brown hair, and aged between 30 and 40 years old. According to the police, the process of conducting pre-trial proceedings remains ongoing.

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