Police pretend to search for elderly women at home – NRK Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country

– We are very concerned because criminals are taking elderly, vulnerable people home, says Mikael Sorder, head of Unit West in the Oslo Police District.

It's not just an increase, but a pattern that particularly police fear.

Dangerous consequences

– They are Also settles down and isn't afraid to seek out a physical victim. We also have information from Sweden that this has become a very common mode. In many cases it has escalated into a physical fight, and with a fatal outcome, Soder says.

One of the most special cases NRK was able to tell about this month.

Two men in their 20s who took an 80-year-old woman to Dubai have been billed for several million kroner. She thought the scammers were from Økokrim.

Other police districts also have more cases than Oslo. Police in Oslo made several arrests in April.

– Unfortunately, there are great dark figures. There are many cases that are not properly reported. In Oslo, Sorter says we know of 20 cases this year alone.

Childless widows suffer

Even at Norway's biggest bank, they have a good overview of transactions and fraud, and what consequences this can have in the worst case.

The fraudsters' primary targets appear to be older women, often childless widows.

– Here we see criminals taking a step back. For older methods. It's a very low-tech solution to what has become a digital problem, says Sebastian Dagle at TNP.

He Heads the Cybercrime Center at DNB and cares about his clients.

Bought a Rolex for NOK 150,000

The police have several surveillance videos to expose many criminals.

– What they show are criminals who come to a victim's home, pretending to be from the police or banking system, and help the victim avoid fraud. But the superintendent of police orders that the cheaters are actually offended.

Many of the videos show criminals holding their victims' bank cards at jewelry stores and electronics stores. Among other things, they buy a Rolex watch for NOK 150,000 and several expensive iPhones.

However, this is not where victims lose their money.

Donkeys and cryptocurrency

– The proceeds of these scams are mainly cryptocurrency, which ends up in the hands of organized criminals, the police superintendent says.

He says it absolutely is It is clear to the police that the fraud is well organized.

The police often look into the so-called donkey cases. A person transfers illegally earned money between different accounts and receives a commission for the same. So they are money smugglers for criminals.

– Large sums often go into donkey accounts and back into cryptocurrency. There are many who engage in organized crime by making their accounts available to these criminals, Sorter says.