January 10, 15:51, Fraud, Östergötland County

A wave of scams targeting the elderly has struck in several parts of the country. The eastern region is not exempt. A total of 40 cases of so-called elder abuse have occurred in respective counties during the first 10 days of the year.

The modus operandi of the scams can vary slightly, but often it involves the scammer sending an SMS with information that the person has ordered goods from a specific company and has been a victim of a scam.

The victim is then encouraged to call a number and is offered help in reporting this to their insurance company. The scammer often also asks for pictures of valuable items found in the home.

In several cases, the victim has since been visited at home and handed over jewelry and valuable items worth hundreds of thousands of kronor.

The thieves target elderly people specifically, and the aim is to deceive them out of these valuable items and/or bank cards with codes.

It is very important to follow the police's advice on contacting unknown persons.

There are ways to protect yourself and your loved ones

- Never call the number given in the SMS. Instead, call the company's central switchboard and ask if they have tried to contact you.

- Hang up if you don't know who's calling.

- Don't open the door to strangers.

- Never leave out bank cards, codes or bank ID.

- Never transfer money on someone else's request.

- Be aware that the scammer can claim to be from a company, insurance company, or even a government agency. If you're even slightly unsure: call and check.

Scams by county. The statistics apply between January 1 and January 10, 2025.

Jönköping County – a total of 45 cases, distributed among the municipalities as follows.  
Aneby 1
Eksjö 2 
Gislaved 4,
Gnosjö 2
Habo 1
Jönköping 25,
Mullsjö 2
Nässjö 6
Sävsjö 2

Södermanland County: Total 41 cases, distributed among the municipalities as follows.  
Eskilstuna 21
Flen 1
Katrineholm 7
Nyköping 10
Oxelösund 2
Strängnäs 1

Östergötland County – a total of 49 cases, distributed among the municipalities as follows.  
Boxholm 6
Linköping 19
Mjölby 8
Motala 2,
Norrköping 14