"One message - and the account is hacked: this is how millions were stolen from dozens of elderly people"
Five residents of Haifa and Tamra were arrested on suspicion of defrauding more than 30 victims across the country. According to the police, they sent messages about alleged debts with a link, through which they took control of bank accounts and withdrew money from them. The scope of the theft is estimated at more than 3 million shekels.
The police arrested five residents of Haifa and Tamra, in their 20s and 30s, on suspicion of operating a fraud network that harmed dozens of elderly victims across the country and stole more than 3 million shekels from their accounts.
According to the police, the covert investigation revealed that the suspects used to send messages to victims claiming that they had to pay financial debts. A link that appeared legitimate was attached to the messages, and after the victims clicked on it, the suspects, according to the suspicion, managed to take control of their bank accounts and withdraw money from them.
So far, the police have identified more than 30 victims, and the amount of money stolen from them is estimated at more than 3 million shekels.
Yesterday (Monday), with the transition to the overt phase of the investigation, detectives from the Central Unit of the Shfela District and fighters of the Shfela YASAM unit arrested the five suspects. During the searches conducted, findings were seized that, according to the police, link them to the offenses.
The suspects were brought to court this morning. The detention of four of them was extended until September 7, and the detention of the fifth suspect was extended until September 3. The investigation is ongoing.
