Poland sees record-high upsurge in scams

The rate marks an increase of 15,000 cases year on year, Rzeczpospolita daily reports.

While Poland’s overall crime rate is on the decline, con artists have been preying on a rapidly growing number of victims. Scammers continuously refine and modify their methods.

Among the most common cases are house thefts committed by fraudsters operating under the guise of policemen, mostly taking their toll on senior citizens, says Mariusz Mrozek, spokesperson for the police headquarters in Warsaw.

The strategy has now outstripped the so-called ‘grandson method’, where scammers posing as a family member, usually a grandchild, request a loan, to be picked up by a “friend”.

A significant rise in frauds was first recorded in 2013, as numbers grew from 84,000 incidents in 2012, to reach 94,000 in the following year. The trend shows no signs of stopping, with some 12,000 swindles being recorded each month – an increase of 2,000 year on year, police data indicate.

“We usually detect most of the perpetrators,” says Iwona Kuc, from the Warsaw police HQ. “This year, over 17,000 suspects are facing fraud charges.” (aba/rk)

Source: Rzeczpospolita