The 'Dying Son' Scam: Holocaust Survivor Pensioner Loses All Her Savings

A court in Afula ordered the Postal Bank to pay 39,900 shekels to an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor and immigrant who fell victim to a 'Russian scam.' Scammers convinced her that her son was dying and forced her to transfer all her savings. The judge found the bank guilty of negligence.

The Small Claims Court in Afula ordered the Postal Bank to pay 39,900 shekels in compensation to an 85-year-old Holocaust survivor who was the victim of a fraudulent scheme. Judge Marat Dorfman found the bank guilty of negligence. According to the ruling, scammers called the pensioner, posing as officials, and claimed that her son was seriously ill and might die. They demanded large sums for 'treatment' over a month and a half, creating urgency and insisting on secrecy. The woman withdrew all her savings and borrowed money, transferring tens of thousands of shekels abroad between December 2024 and January 2025. The judge noted that bank employees should have been alerted by the unusual transactions and the client's age, but failed to act. The bank argued that the transactions were legal and that SMS notifications to the daughter absolved it of responsibility. The court rejected these arguments. The article also reports that since 2020, the number of scams targeting Russian-speaking elderly has increased by over 500%, and in 2024, about 100 million shekels were stolen from bank clients in this manner.