Glioblastoma scam. More than 7,000 people were injured
Glioblastoma scam. This is the trick used by a couple from Strzelin to extort money from people from all over Poland. See what their method of operation was.
A couple from Strzelin organized several charity collections online. She asked for money for the treatment of a man suffering from glioblastoma. However, there was no disease. The whole story turned out to be a simple trick. Fraudsters used other people's compassion and willingness to help to extort money.
Donors lost several hundred thousand zlotys
The case was investigated by the police. Officers from the District Police Headquarters in Strzelin detained a pair of fraudsters. Forged medical documentation and a forged medical stamp were found in the man's home.
“Currently, investigators have determined that over 7,000 people have been defrauded, and these are data relating to only one online collection. The estimated value of losses suffered by donors is at least several hundred thousand zlotys,” we read in a statement made available by the police.
The man was charged with several counts of fraud and forging documents. The woman involved in the entire procedure also heard them. A resident of Strzelin pleaded guilty. The couple faces up to 8 years in prison.
Beware of online scams
Criminals are increasingly using the Internet to commit various types of fraud. It's not just about setting up fake charity collections for treatment or surgery. False websites of various institutions, including the National Health Fund, are also created. Fraudsters use them to extort sensitive personal data from Internet users, such as name and surname, PESEL number or credit card number. Later, thanks to the information obtained, they commit various types of crimes. It's about extorting loans, blackmail, etc.
How to protect yourself against cyber fraud? First of all, you should carefully check the correctness of the addresses of the websites you visit. It's best not to use public WI-FI networks and avoid providing sensitive data online, for example in posts on Facebook or Instagram. Let's not make any financial decisions under the influence of strong emotions. Do not open unknown emails and attachments. If you have any doubts, it is always worth contacting the police.
