Cybercrime Southeast Europe Newsletter No. 85

Warning: Telephone Scams on the Rise – Stay Alert

Dear Clients,

Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in financial and telephone scams targeting citizens in Serbia. Scammers use various tactics to deceive victims into giving money or valuables, often focusing on the most vulnerable – elderly individuals and pensioners.

One of the most common schemes in recent weeks involves fraudulent phone calls in which unknown individuals pose as medical professionals. Victims are told that their relatives have been seriously injured in traffic accidents or other incidents, and are then asked to provide money for alleged medical treatment. Elderly victims are often instructed to personally hand over cash to a designated person while remaining under constant phone communication to prevent them from verifying the information with their actual family members. The Belgrade Police, in cooperation with the competent prosecutor’s office, are actively investigating these cases.

Attention should also be paid to pensioner scams. Pensioners in the Inđija municipality have reported receiving phone calls claiming that the payment of increased pensions is conditional upon purchasing certain products, such as blankets or mattresses. The Republic Fund for Pension and Disability Insurance emphasizes that all pension rights and increases will be automatically paid to eligible recipients without any additional conditions or requests.

How to protect yourself:

• Do not pay money or purchase products in response to phone calls or alleged pension conditions.
• Always verify information directly with family members or the relevant institution.
• Keep records of all communications and immediately report suspicious calls to the police or the Pension Fund.
• Be cautious when calls or messages seem urgent or threatening.

Caution, vigilance, and verifying information remain key – every document, message, or call you preserve can help protect your funds and assist authorities in identifying scammers.

Kind regards,
Attorney Zoran Miljaković