Scammers target pensioners in Israel - victims lose all savings

In Israel, cases of telephone fraud against elderly Russian-speaking citizens have increased. An 80-year-old resident of Rehovot handed over 20,000 shekels and jewelry to a courier after a call from someone claiming to be from 'Bituah Leumi'. A second case involved a loss of 70,000 shekels. Police reopened the investigation after initially closing the case. From March to May 2026, 463 fraud cases were opened against elderly immigrants from the CIS.

In Israel, cases of telephone fraud targeting elderly Russian-speaking citizens have increased. Scammers pose as government officials, spoof relatives' numbers, and convince people to hand over money and jewelry to couriers. One victim was an 80-year-old resident of Rehovot. An unknown woman called her landline, introduced herself as a Bituah Leumi employee, and spoke in Russian. Later, the scammers convinced the woman that she needed to provide cash and jewelry for inspection. Simultaneously, her son's number appeared on the phone screen, and a caller pretending to be him asked her not to hang up and to follow instructions. As a result, a man came to her home twice. First, she handed him an envelope with about 20,000 shekels, and then she gave him jewelry she had collected for decades. Only after the call ended did she contact her real son and realize she had been deceived. A few days later, a similar incident occurred in Rehovot. Another elderly woman was tricked into giving away about 70,000 shekels. The scammers used information about her family, kept her on the line for a long time, and imitated her son's voice. After the first case was publicized, a reward of 70,000 shekels was offered for information leading to the suspect's identification. The family also provided police with security camera footage showing the man who collected the money and jewelry. Police initially closed the case due to lack of evidence, but after a review, they decided to reopen the investigation. Official data indicate that such schemes have become widespread. From March to May 2026 alone, police opened 463 fraud cases involving elderly immigrants from CIS countries. Israelis are urged not to hand over money to unknown couriers, to independently call back relatives and government agencies, and to agree on a code word with elderly family members to verify identity.