Fraud warning: Medical trick - Austrian seniors in sight!

Fraud warning: Medical trick - Austrian seniors in sight!

In Austria, concerns grow through a new fraud stitch, which is known as a "medical trick". These machinations were published by a warning by the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Lower Austria State Police Directorate. Perpetrators spend on doctors or clinic staff and inform the victims that a relative is seriously ill - colon cancer is often faked. The fraudsters demand high sums for allegedly necessary medication that are partly in the six -digit euro range, and put people under pressure to force an immediate transfer of money. According to [5min] (https://www.5min.at/5202506181701/neue-frugsmasmsche-in-oesterreich-behieren-schlagen- alarm/), there have been 18 complete fraud with a total damage of at least 1.2 million euros since March 2025.

The problem can also be seen in several specific cases. A 91-year-old woman from Nickelsdorf handed over cash and gold jewelry in the middle five-digit euro range on May 29, 2025. An 83-year-old woman from Perchtoldsdorf also fell into the fraudsters on May 22, 2025 and handed over cash and gold ducat in the high five-digit range. Four victims have already been registered in Lower Austria, which alarmed the authorities. The statistics for crime in Austria from 2023 illustrate that the viewed offenses have been among the highest values ​​for years, which reinforces the relevance of such fraud stitches.

precautionary measures by the authorities

In order to sensitize the population, the Federal Criminal Police Office has made several recommendations. Those affected are advised to question the identity of the caller and always request a callback number. It is important to contact the supposedly affected person independently and not be put under pressure. In case of doubt, the police should be contacted under 133, which should show that in the face of such threats you should not feel alone and take advantage of support.

general crime in Austria

These fraud stitches are part of a wider trend in Austrian crime. According to Statista, around 528,000 crimes were reported in 2023, which has been the highest level since 2016. The increase in economic crime and cybercrime, which also affects the security situation in Austria, is particularly alarming. The police's educational rate is 52.3 %, which shows that there is progress in crime education despite increasing crimes.