Cases in Gossau, Zug and Lucerne Fraudster pretends to be a neighbor and begs 20 francs for pizza
An alleged neighbor rings the doorbell, asks for money for the pizza delivery man - and disappears: Reports of a brazen trick are piling up in several Swiss cities.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- In Gossau SG, a woman was the victim of a scam in which a man pretended to be a neighbor and demanded money for a supposed pizza delivery man.
- The police have confirmed at least two similar cases in Gossau and others in Zug and Lucerne.
- The police warn against such scams and advise caution when dealing with strangers at the front door.
In Gossau SG, a young woman fell for a con artist. A man rang her doorbell, pretended to be a neighbor and asked for 20 francs for the pizza delivery man, whose card terminal was supposedly not working. The woman waited in vain for the promised refund - and filed a complaint. This is how she described it in the SRF consumer magazine "Espresso".
As the St. Gallen cantonal police confirmed to SRF, at least two such cases are known from Gossau. Similar reports had previously been made in Zug and Lucerne. Several victims told the "Luzerner Zeitung" about similar situations. It is still unclear whether it is the same perpetrator - but the scam is identical.
The fraudster is targeting apartment buildings whose residents do not usually know all their neighbors. The police advise people not to hand over any money to strangers at the front door and to call 117 if in doubt. Con artists often feign emergencies - whether at the front door or on the street.
