Frequent frauds in the Doboj area: Elderly women robbed by individuals posing as PIO Fund representatives

The Petrovo Police Station received a report that an unknown man entered the home of a 77-year-old woman from the Petrovo municipality area, introducing himself as a person who pays out pensions, and requested documentation allegedly needed for the further exercise of pension rights, reports the Patria news agency.  

While the victim was looking for the documents, the man stole money from her wallet and, with the explanation that he needed to break the money in order to pay out the pension, left in an unknown direction.

The Modriča Police Station reported on the same day that two unknown persons similarly defrauded a 73-year-old woman from the Modriča municipality area. By deceiving the elderly woman into believing they were representatives of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund, one distracted the victim while the other stole money.

Police officers from the relevant police stations are undertaking the necessary measures and actions to identify and find the perpetrators of the aforementioned criminal acts, which in these cases have been classified as theft.

In the area of the Doboj Public Security Center, similar criminal acts occasionally occur, where perpetrators exploit the ignorance and naivety of citizens, mostly elderly individuals, and by deceiving them into believing they are representatives of institutions, non-governmental organizations, or persons providing medical services, gaining their trust, they fraudulently steal money and other valuables.

The Doboj Public Security Center appeals to citizens to be cautious in communication with unknown persons, who should not be let into apartments or houses without first verifying their identity. If an unknown person introduces themselves as an official, it is necessary to request to see their official identification card.  Citizens should not allow themselves to be misled by the assurances of unknown persons who introduce themselves with their titles, abilities to provide medical assistance, possibilities to provide certain humanitarian or other types of material aid, or act in a similar manner.

If unknown persons arrive with similar offers, we appeal to citizens to immediately report this to the police at the toll-free number 122, and to try to notice as many details as possible about the appearance and clothing of that person, the means of transport, and other characteristics that can help in the faster detection of perpetrators who, by defrauding citizens, obtain personal material gain, the RS Ministry of Interior stated.