Scamming targeting elderly on rise

A number of fraud cases have come to the attention of the Eastern Finland Police Department since the turn of the year, said a police bulletin.

According to the police, the proceeds of crime have amounted to more than 700,000 euros.

Police detective Harri-Pekka Pohjolainen from the department of Eastern Finland Police said that anyone can fall victim to a scam, however, elderly people and people with impaired cognitive ability due to illness are most vulnerable.

The police warned that despite the many possibilities which the internet offers, there is a risk of being defrauded.

It is easy for fraudsters to take advantage of, for example, the lack of knowledge of the elderly in using e-mail. The fraudsters trick the victims to give bank credentials, credit card number or other personal information by email.