Dresden police‑impersonation scam nets seniors €65,000 in gold jewellery

In the Dresden area, fraudsters posing as police officers and bank staff tricked two senior women into handing over valuable items. In Pirna, an 87‑year‑old was first called by someone claiming to be a Sparkasse employee who said her card needed replacement. A second caller arrived at her door in a police uniform and received gold coins and jewellery worth an estimated €65,000. Around the same time, an 86‑year‑old in nearby Wilsdruff received a similar call about expired cards, gave her PIN over the phone and handed over cash cards and jewellery to a man who appeared at her home. Police warn that officers never collect valuables and always show identification.

A related telephone fraud was reported in Wabern‑Hebel (Hesse), where a senior woman was asked by a caller posing as a bank employee to hand over her EC‑card and PIN. The impostor then collected the card in person and withdrew about €6,000 from her account. The Kreissparkasse Schwalm‑Eder and local police urge citizens never to disclose PINs, passwords or cards over the phone and to verify any request directly with the institution.

The Dresden police department has issued alerts urging residents to report suspicious calls, verify identities of officials, and avoid handing over cash or valuables to unknown persons.