– We are very concerned that the perpetrator takes home elderly, vulnerable people, says section leader Mikael Sorter at Unit West in the Oslo police district. It is not just the increase, but especially the mode that the police fear. Fatal outcomes – They are more accommodating and are not afraid to physically seek out victims. We also have information from Sweden that this has become a fairly common mode. In several cases it has developed into a physical scuffle, also with a fatal outcome, says Sorter. Mikael Sorter works at the Economic Crime Investigation Unit West in Oslo. Photo: Trond A. Stenersen / news One of the most special cases news could tell about this month. Two men in their 20s drained the accounts of an 80-year-old woman for several million kroner after they had taken her to Dubai. She thought the fraudsters came from Økokrim. There are also more cases in other police districts than Oslo. The police in Oslo arrested several people in April. – Unfortunately, there are large dark figures. There are many cases that are probably not reported correctly. In Oslo, we are aware of 20 cases this year alone, says Sorter. Widows without children are affected Even in Norway’s largest bank, they have a good overview of transactions and fraud, and what consequences this could have in the worst case. It appears that the fraudsters’ primary targets appear to be older women, often widows without children. Sebastian Takle is head of the center for cybercrime at DNB. Photo: Truls Alnes Antonsen / news – What we see here is that the criminals are taking a step back again. To older methods. It is a fairly low-tech solution to what has become quite a digital problem, says Sebastian Takle in DNB. He heads the cybercrime center at DNB and is concerned about his customers. Bought a Rolex for NOK 150,000 The police have several surveillance videos that reveal several of the perpetrators. FAKE SIGN: The police also seized a fake police sign in the case where several men abducted an 80-year-old woman to Dubai, and drained millions of kroner from her accounts. Photo: The police – What they show are perpetrators who come to the victim’s home, introduce themselves as either from the police or the banking system, and are supposed to help the victim avoid a fraud. But then in reality those who cheat are offended, says Police Superintendent Sorter. Several of the videos show the perpetrators at jewelers and electronics stores with the victims’ bank cards. Among other things, they buy a Rolex watch for NOK 150,000 and several of the most expensive iPhones. Yet this is not where victims lose most of their money. Mules and cryptocurrency – The proceeds of these frauds are mainly cryptocurrency that ends up in the hands of organized criminals, says the police chief. He says that it is quite clear to the police that the fraud is well organised. The police see cases of what is often called a mule. A person who transfers illegally earned money between different accounts and receives a commission for doing so. They are therefore money movers for criminals. – The large amounts often go to mule accounts, and so on again to cryptocurrency. There are many people who get involved in organized crime by making their accounts available to these criminals, thereby securing profits, says Sorter. Published 11.06.2024, at 23.48
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