this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2024
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Fake police: Scammer arrested after being chased by officers on foot through city (www.rnz.co.nz)
submitted 5 months ago by Dave to c/newzealand
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A man who scammed people out of nearly $300,000 by pretending to be a police officer has been arrested.

On Monday the 25-year-old man, a UK national, was chased by police through Auckland central on foot.

The scam involved a call to a landline by someone pretending to be a police officer and providing a fake badge number.

There were 18 Aucklanders, aged between 56 and 90, with the majority over 80, allegedly duped out of money.

"The scam will always involve this so-called officer asking for financial information or asking you to withdraw cash to be collected as part of an investigation into banks," Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Bolton said.

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[–] deadbeef79000 4 points 5 months ago (10 children)

What is it that happens when you get "old" that makes you think a cop asking for cash is legitimate? What's the hook?

Or perhaps (trying desperately to avoid victim blaming) what can we do to help "oldies" to be less susceptible to scams like this?

I get that it might be common in more corrupt parts of the world, and is arguably a slightly less scammy protection racket.

[–] liv 3 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

Bunch of factors:

  • cognitive decline

  • cognitive issues related to medications eg anticholinergic burden

  • belief that they no longer "understand" the way things work and have to take younger people's word for things

  • fear due to physical vulnerability (give in to scammers to avoid getting hurt physically)

  • loneliness (give in to scammers because they think they are making a human connection)

What we can do to help oldies is to be actively in their lives and looking out for them. Helping them navigate stuff and just letting them know we are there.

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