Małopolska police have arrested 11 members of a criminal gang, including its leader, responsible for a string of frauds targeting elderly victims. The group, which operated across Małopolska, Silesia, and Podkarpacie, is accused of defrauding seniors out of over PLN 1.5 million through a series of around 40 scams.
These scams, known as the “grandchild scam,” involve criminals posing as relatives, police officers, or individuals in urgent need of money due to an emergency, such as a car accident. In one case, an 80-year-old woman from Krakow lost PLN 700,000 to the group. Despite ongoing police efforts and public warnings, elderly citizens continue to fall victim to these evolving schemes.
The arrests followed a recent incident in Krakow, where a 73-year-old man handed over PLN 100,000 after being told his relative had caused a fatal accident. Thanks to a swift investigation, police recovered part of the stolen money and apprehended several suspects, including the 26-year-old leader of the group, his 16-year-old partner, and two accomplices.
The investigation continues, with authorities expecting further arrests. So far, some of the stolen funds have been returned to victims, offering hope to those affected by this widespread scam. In the first half of 2024 alone, police reported 354 cases of attempted and successful “grandchild scams,” with total losses exceeding PLN 7 million.