The event, organised by the Istria Police, Istria County and the City of Pula, featured an evening of dancing, where retirees were reminded through video clips in the Istrian dialect of different types of fraud and how to protect themselves.
Participants were given leaflets containing advice, while uniformed police officers danced and engaged in discussions with the elderly about the issues that concern them.
According to Božo Kirin, Deputy Chief of Police in Istria County, the reason for this education and prevention initiative is the growing number of fraud-related crimes, particularly online fraud, targeting elderly citizens.
Last year, 71 cases of fraud and online fraud were recorded, in which elderly victims suffered financial losses amounting to about €1.7 million. In 2023, 34 such cases were documented, with total damages estimated at €415,000.
"Unfortunately, elderly people are increasingly falling victim to fraud due to their advanced age, lack of awareness, or inattentiveness. They tend to be more cooperative, and often live alone, which means they are not always able to seek help immediately," Kirin stated.
Resourceful perpetrators exploit this in various ways, often acting in a brazen and authoritative manner. They are talkative and persistent, attempting to persuade elderly people to share their personal information or transfer money.
Now in its third year, the aim of this initiative is not only to protect elderly citizens from fraud but also to demonstrate social sensitivity towards this vulnerable group.