A 23-year-old man from Łódź was arrested in Puławy for scamming two elderly women and being foiled by a third.
Two Seniors Scammed, Third Woman Foils Con
Police in Puławy received a report that a 90-year-old resident had been scammed out of 72,000 złoty. She had given the cash to scammers who claimed her granddaughter was gravely ill and needed an expensive, non-refunded drug.
Soon after, police received a similar report concerning a 72-year-old woman who was demanded 800,000 złoty for her supposedly sick son’s medication. Suspicious, the woman prepared a bag filled with cut-up newspapers. Following the scammers’ instructions, she handed the bag to a supposed courier and then called the police.
23-Year-Old from Łódź Arrested
During the interview with the 72-year-old, police uncovered details that led them to a third victim, an 86-year-old woman from Puławy who had lost 73,000 złoty days earlier in a similar scam.
A police spokesperson explained the criminals’ modus operandi: a woman would call a senior’s landline at night, claiming a family member needed an expensive, non-reimbursed drug. A man would then get on the line, posing as a doctor to confirm the story. Police from Puławs quickly traced the leads to Warsaw, where a 23-year-old resident of Łódź was arrested by officers from the Warsaw VI District Police Headquarters for collecting the money from the seniors. He was taken into police custody.
Remand for Recidivist Suspect
The police spokeswoman stated that the 23-year-old had a prior conviction for similar crimes and would be charged as a recidivist, meaning any potential sentence from the court could be increased by half.
After presenting the charges, police filed a motion with the prosecutor for a pre-trial detention order. The District Court in Puławs remanded the suspect for three months. Police are now investigating whether the man committed similar offenses elsewhere.