Three individuals convicted of severe fraud against elderly victims in Örebro, Sweden

The case recently concluded at Örebro District Court, where a woman and two men faced charges for multiple counts of severe fraud. Prosecutors allege that the trio defrauded around ten elderly individuals, including Eva Kristina, of hundreds of thousands of kronor through a method known as physical vishing. This type of fraud involves calling elderly victims to inform them that their assets are in jeopardy, often leading to lengthy conversations. During these calls, the perpetrators would visit the victims’ homes and collect their bank cards.

Stefan Larsson, operations leader at the National Operational Department (NOA), remarked that this is ruthless crime targeting vulnerable seniors. The accused employed the same strategy in each case: a woman would call pretending to be from the postal service and inform the victim about a package they did not order. When the victim denies ordering the item, they are told it might be part of a scam and asked to hand over their bank cards to a supposed security officer working with the bank.

Larsson also noted that this case has links to a criminal network based in Malmö. Reports indicate that incidents of physical vishing have surged, with projections for July this year showing 318 cases, nearly double the total of 168 reported last year. Larsson explained that many of the perpetrators involved have also participated in serious crimes such as murder and bombings.

For Eva Kristina, the incident has had lasting psychological effects. She recounted that while the perpetrator did not carry a weapon, the threat was very real. The verdict for the trio, who are charged with defrauding Kristina and several others, will be announced on August 14.