Beware of trick fraud: A couple from Graz fell victim to the so-called “mirror trick” and lost 560 euros. Her camera recorded everything.
An Austrian couple fell victim to the so-called “mirror trick” on a trip to Italy, as the daily newspaper “Heute” reports. 75-year-old Franz S. and his wife, both academics, were overtaking a white BMW when they heard a bang. The BMW driver pointed to his broken mirror, drove past them and waved them into a nearby parking lot.
After they stopped, the man immediately walked to the passenger side of their car and pointed to what appeared to be damage. In fact, he had drawn a “scratch” on her vehicle using a special chalk. The bang they heard was probably the result of a deliberate stone being thrown.
Pretending that they had damaged his mirror, the fraudster showed them a replacement model on his cell phone for 800 euros on eBay. He insisted that the costs should be paid immediately and in cash instead of settling the damage through insurance.
“My wife voluntarily gave him all of our cash reserves,” Franz S. told “Today.” The fraudster drove away with a total of 560 euros. When they subsequently viewed their dashcam videos, the couple noticed that the fraudster’s mirror was broken before the alleged accident.
Despite the slim chance of getting their money back, the Austrians want to file a complaint the next time they visit Italy. But above all they want to warn other holidaymakers. “These perpetrators are very well organized and really sophisticated. Everything was very believable and happened very quickly,” said the 75-year-old.
The scam has been known for several years. According to Merkur, tourists who are confronted with the trick should not allow themselves to be intimidated and should under no circumstances pay the money demanded. Instead, they should insist on calling the police, as most scammers will then usually run away. In addition, it is recommended that valuables and wallets are not visible in the vehicle to prevent additional theft.
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