Fake lawyer asks for money to release elderly person's 'compensation' and victim loses R$ 750 thousand in Paraná

Fake lawyer asks for money to release elderly person's compensation and victim loses R$ 750 thousand A 75-year-old elderly man lost over R$ 750 thousand after falling for the fake lawyer scam in Campina da Lagoa, in Western Paraná. According to the Civil Police, criminals contacted the victim claiming that she was entitled to receive alleged judicial compensation. For several days, the scammers posed as legal professionals and convinced the man to make bank transfers. ✅ Follow g1 Foz do Iguaçu on WhatsApp According to Detective Muriel D'Ávila, the criminals guided the victim by phone and stated that the transfers needed to be made to validate the bank account data with the Superior Court of Justice (STJ). "They said there would be no financial loss, that the amounts would be returned when the compensation was released. They also stated that confidentiality had been decreed in the process and that the victim should not discuss the matter with anyone," explained the detective. Still according to the investigation, the scammers instructed the elderly man to lie to bank employees if questioned about the financial transactions. "During the transfers, he was instructed to report that it was a commercial relationship, such as a purchase and sale. The victim ended up believing the information and transferred over R$ 750 thousand to the criminals," said the detective. The case is being investigated by the Civil Police, who are also trying to track down and recover the lost money. As of the last update of this report, no one has been arrested. Civil Police of Paraná DHPP vehicle Giuliano Gomes/PR Press Read also: Arrested: understand investigation into doctor who set up 'apartment' in hospital Frost: see images and the weather forecast in Paraná Copel: Electricity bill gets more expensive starting this Wednesday (24) Guidelines The detective warns that requests for urgency, confidentiality, and financial transfers related to legal proceedings are red flags for potential scams. According to her, criminals often use real photos of lawyers, falsified documents, and case information to give credibility to the fraud. The guidance is that anyone who receives this type of contact should directly seek out the lawyer responsible for the case or the district courthouse to confirm if the information is true before carrying out any financial transaction. The Civil Police also recommend being suspicious of requests made via WhatsApp, especially when they involve money transfers, promises of releasing funds, or requests to keep the conversation secret. VIDEOS: Most watched on g1 Paraná Read more news on g1 West and Southwest.