Police investigate after pensioner duped into handing over €8,500

Police have issued a new warning after an 86-year-old man was duped into handing over €8,500 on the claim that his daughter needed urgent surgery.

In a statement on Thursday, police said they were investigating a new case of obtaining money under false pretenses. At least two other pensioners have fallen victim to the same ruse, while another case was averted after a bank employee alerted police.

The new case occurred in Nicosia. The victim contacted police to say that an unknown person had called him on his fixed telephone line to tell him that his daughter had been injured and needed urgent surgery for which he should pay €60,000.

The 86-year-old told the caller that he had only €8,500 in his possession. They agreed to meet in Nicosia, where the victim handed over to a man and a woman two envelopes with the cash.

At the insistence of the unknown man, he went to the bank to withdraw more money, but changed his mind after contacting a relative who confirmed that his daughter was in good health.

Police urged the public to be particularly careful and to contact authorities immediately should they receive a similar phone call.