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Pensioner Scammed in WhatsApp Fraud

Wednesday, 7 May 2025 06:30

A 79-year-old man from Fribourg has fallen victim to a WhatsApp scam, losing nearly CHF 19,000 after being tricked into thinking his son needed urgent financial help.

The man was first contacted in October 2024 by a message claiming to be from one of his sons. “Hi Dad, I have a new number. Text me on WhatsApp,” it read.

He believed the message was genuine, and so over the course of the day, he made four transfers to three different accounts.

The pensioner only realised he’d been scammed after eventually reaching his real son. But by then, it was too late. 

He has since filed a police complaint. Authorities are urging the public to be cautious of similar scams and to verify any unusual financial requests from friends or family.

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