Scammers targeting mostly elderly people and trying to coax them to part with considerable sums of money have long been active. Over time, their demands have evolved into threats.
Some people have fallen for the trap and have sent money or provided details of their bank accounts.
In one case, a woman handed valuable jewelry to visiting strangers posing as police.
Other scammers pose as doctors or close friends of relatives who are supposedly in grave peril, often from supposed accidents, and who urgently need money.
With the resulting publicity, many potential victims have caught on. In response, the scammers have resorted to direct threats, such as: “Give us the money or we will kill you and your family.”
