Following an uptick in the number of scam telephone calls received by Monaco residents, often from untraceable or foreign numbers, the government has sought to advise locals of the actions to take if they find themselves among the victims.
On Monday 15th April, the Monaco Government released an official statement on the recent spate of ill-intended scam calls that have been targeting residents of the Principality.
“Residents of the Principality of Monaco are currently receiving malicious phone calls, originating from foreign operator numbers whose identities are often masked, making any traceability attempts difficult,” reads the statement.
“The scammers mainly target elderly individuals, presenting themselves as police officers or lawyers, and convince them that a family member has been involved in a serious traffic accident,” it continues. “They request a significant sum of money – cash or jewellery, for example – to assist them [their family member]. This is a malicious phone call campaign aimed at defrauding potential victims who respond positively to the caller’s demands.”
The public is reminded not to follow any of the requests, nor attempt to follow up on the call. If possible, the telephone number should be blocked from any future communication, and the Monaco Police Department can be contacted at 93 15 30 15 if receivers of the calls have any further concerns.
This is not the first time that residents in the Principality have been bombarded with similar calls or scam campaigns. As recently as January 2024, the authorities warned residents of a “sophisticated phishing campaign” conducted via email.
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