Inside the ‘Grandchild Scam’ Police Operation Against Phone Fraud

Apr 28, 2026

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2 min read

YouTube video ID: 9qbZCrvREx0

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Scammers call elderly people and pretend to be a child or grandchild who has caused a fatal car accident. They claim the victim must pay bail and hand over valuables such as cash, gold coins, or jewelry. In one case, pensioner Hubert Gärtner offered 13 gold coins before the call was intercepted.

Police monitor the conversation in real time, keeping the victim on the line while they coordinate a covert arrest. Decoys, such as envelopes filled with paper, replace the promised money to protect the victim and ensure a safe capture. The operation also relies on a “collector” who arrives at the victim’s home to make the arrest while the scammer believes the transaction is proceeding.

Victim Perspectives

Adrenaline floods the victim’s body, creating a “tunnel” effect that blocks clear thinking. The heightened stress makes the elderly target highly suggestible, allowing scammers to extract large sums—one victim was instructed to withdraw €40,000.

Beyond financial loss, victims endure severe psychological trauma. Many report marital strain, lingering shame, and, in extreme cases, suicidal thoughts. The loss of sentimental items, such as the jewelry from a 57‑year marriage, often hurts more than the monetary loss.

International Law‑Enforcement Collaboration

Scammers operate from abroad, frequently from Poland, exploiting jurisdictional gaps. German and Polish police have built personal networks that bypass slow official assistance requests.

Joint raids in Warsaw seized luxury assets, including a Porsche, a Lamborghini, Rolex watches, and €15,000 in cash. The operation demonstrated how cross‑border cooperation can overcome legal obstacles and dismantle call‑center hubs.

Inside the Criminal Networks

The masterminds belong to extensive family‑based structures that follow their own “family laws” rather than national penal codes. These internal rules govern loyalty, profit sharing, and dispute resolution.

Perpetrators flaunt their wealth on social media, leaving digital footprints that investigators trace. One officer noted, “They don’t realize what they’re doing to people. Not because of the money. It was the jewelry,” highlighting the disconnect between the criminals’ lifestyle and the victims’ suffering.

How Police Traps Work

Investigators keep the victim engaged while coordinating with banks and waiting for the collector’s arrival. When the collector appears, police move in, arrest the scammer, and secure evidence such as call‑center equipment and luxury goods.

Takeaways

Scammers impersonate relatives in distress, demanding bail money and valuables, while police monitor calls in real time to set up arrests.
Adrenaline‑driven “tunnel” thinking makes elderly victims highly susceptible, leading to severe financial loss and deep psychological trauma.
German and Polish police bypass bureaucratic delays by building personal intelligence networks, enabling raids that seize luxury cars, watches, and cash.
Criminal groups operate under family‑specific rules, flaunting wealth on social media, which provides investigators with valuable digital traces.
Verification tests like requests for ID numbers help scammers filter out police‑involved victims, a tactic police exploit to confirm and trap the fraudsters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What verification test do scammers use to identify police‑involved victims?

Scammers ask for specific personal data such as a German ID number or an IBAN to confirm the victim’s authenticity. If the information is unavailable or delayed, they suspect police involvement and may abandon the call.

Does this page include the full transcript of the video?

Yes, the full transcript for this video is available on this page. Click 'Show transcript' in the sidebar to read it.

How Police Traps Work

The scam process begins with a call that impersonates a distressed relative. Scammers then issue a verification test—requesting a German ID number or IBAN—to weed out victims who might be cooperating with law enforcement. Investigators keep the victim engaged while coordinating with banks and waiting for the collector’s arrival. When the collector appears, police move in, arrest the scammer, and secure evidence such as call‑center equipment and luxury goods.

Helpful resources related to this video

If you want to practice or explore the concepts discussed in the video, these commonly used tools may help.

Call Blocker Device For Landline Phone Recommended

This device physically filters incoming calls, helping elderly users prevent scam calls from reaching their home phone.

Amazon →

Home Security Safe For Valuables

A secure safe provides a protected place to store cash and sentimental jewelry, preventing easy access for scammers or 'collectors'.

Amazon →

Book On Preventing Elder Financial Abuse

Educational literature helps seniors and their families recognize the psychological tactics used by scammers to manipulate victims.

Amazon →

Links may be affiliate links. We only include resources that are genuinely relevant to the topic.

Summarize another video

Full Transcript YouTube

Gärtner?
Mr. Gärtner, Christina Meier from the
criminal police.
Your daughter caused a car accident
earlier today.
Let me check.
I'll call emergency.
This detective is monitoring the call.
It's a genuine call.
It's perfect timing.
This is a story about criminals who
swindle millions from pensioners.
>> [music]
>> But now pensioners are fighting back.
I'm an old man.
I don't even have a laptop or anything
like that.
Just a few kilometers away is the woman
who's overseeing the operation.
Her goal is to arrest the perpetrators
today.
So far, the perpetrators still think
they're dealing with the real victim.
This could be great.
Hubert Gärtner gets a lot of cold calls
from phone scammers.
That's why we're interviewing him.
>> [music]
>> But then something unexpected happens.
>> [music]
>> Gärtner?
Hello.
>> [music]
>> It's an actual phone scammer.
What information do you need? What
happened?
It's midday. He'll keep them on the line
as long as possible to lure them into a
trap.
A few kilometers away at police
headquarters in Munich, Désirée
Schielshorn is on the case.
>> [music]
>> Are you pleased with how things are
turning out?
Oh, yes. [laughter] It's a perfect
coincidence.
>> [music]
>> Désirée Schielshorn is assisting Hubert
Gärtner and at the same time preparing
for a possible arrest.
The perpetrators usually call from
abroad.
They belong to large criminal families
originally from Poland.
What they do is pose as their victims'
children or grandchildren calling to say
they've caused an accident.
>> [music]
>> People think, how could anyone be that
stupid? There's no way I'd fall for
that.
That's the crucial point. Behind it is a
huge machinery, organized criminals who
are extremely good at what they do.
The perpetrators are still being kept on
the phone by Hubert Gärtner.
He's supposed to pay bail for his
daughter after she allegedly caused an
accident.
He offers cash and gold coins.
I've got a Krugerrand, two $10 Eagles,
gold Eagles from America.
And 10 1 DM Wilhelm coins.
These are coins he actually has.
Nine.
10.
11.
12.
13 coins.
Will the scammers accept the coins?
Hello.
Sorry?
Yes, I have 13 coins.
>> [music]
>> The scammers have taken the bait.
I'll put it all in a packet.
But to make sure they aren't being
played, the scammers ask for his ID
number.
>> [music]
>> They're pulling out all the stops. They
already asked for an IBAN and now
they've asked for a German ID number.
If he doesn't give it to them, it's
over.
Is it a test?
Exactly.
Gärtner gives them a fake number.
Will it work?
The scammers bought it.
They bought it?
Let's see if there are more tests. I
need some water.
At some point, someone will have to
collect the takings. That's when the
police will strike.
To begin with, I thought it was unlikely
that it would work.
But now it's been going on so long and
he's passed all the tests they've put
him through.
Someone may well appear today and we can
make an arrest.
Police officers are already waiting in
Hubert Gärtner's apartment.
But this isn't the first time Désirée
Schielshorn has gotten this far.
>> [music]
>> A few weeks ago, she was also close to
making an arrest.
Wait, I'll put her on. They're asking if
they should abort.
It's up to you.
If you think you've got it covered, then
do it.
If you say no, it's too risky, then call
it off.
He'll come out here in front of the
supermarket.
If he's on Albert Schweitzer Straße,
maybe
Schielshorn K61?
Great.
I've got my fingers crossed.
Okay, they're heading to Munich. Let's
see.
>> [music]
>> Another pensioner has helped set a trap.
Now he's supposed to go to the bank to
withdraw money.
Désirée Schielshorn used to work as an
undercover investigator.
You have to remain calm to keep track of
things.
Even when it's exciting and everything
is hectic and fast.
This is Schielshorn from precinct 61.
We have an urgent matter.
We have someone who's currently on his
way to the bank. He's the target of a
scam and he's playing along.
He wants to withdraw 40,000 euros.
The call with the scammer is still
ongoing, so the bank needs to give him
an envelope that just contains paper.
The bank agrees to cooperate.
Thanks. Bye.
Everything's going as planned.
But the perpetrators seem to have
noticed [music] something's off.
They don't collect the money.
>> It's not happening.
Yeah. And so are two.
Yeah.
That's it then.
You can't always win. Sometimes you
lose. That's how it is.
With Hubert Gartner, she's hoping for a
win.
>> [music]
>> They're still there.
The scammers still think they've got a
real victim.
She wants to arrest the perpetrators
today.
Victims often lose more than just money
and jewelry.
I recently saw a victim in court who
hasn't been able to work since.
She's getting psychological treatment,
and her husband blames her for what
happened.
Their marriage is in trouble.
Other victims took their own lives
because they couldn't forgive themselves
and live with the shame.
It is hard to find victims willing to
speak openly.
We meet a man in Hamburg who agrees to
tell us what happened.
>> [music]
>> It began with a call, supposedly from
his daughter.
She was screaming and crying.
Completely distraught, hysterical.
It was clearly my daughter's voice on
the line.
100%.
She had apparently run someone over in
her car.
She killed someone in her car.
Initially, the policeman was very calm
and very insistent.
He drilled into me, so I understood
the accident was fatal.
The adrenaline kicks in and you're in a
sort of tunnel.
And when you're in that tunnel and
pumped full of adrenaline, you can't
think straight. That's exactly what the
scammer wants.
He was told that his daughter could go
to jail unless he paid bail.
He offered the scammers 30,000 euros and
his late wife's jewelry.
The money was whatever.
For me, it was about the jewelry.
57 years of marriage.
Whenever there was a special occasion,
she'd get a beautiful jewelry.
Now it's all gone.
A well-dressed woman came and collected
it all.
I called my daughter on her cell phone.
She was surprised I was calling so late
and asked what was wrong.
And all I could say was, "Thank God
you're safe."
How did you feel at that moment?
How did I feel?
Basically, I had a complete breakdown.
They don't realize what they're doing to
people.
Not because of the money.
It was the jewelry.
>> [clears throat]
>> They're destroying lives that people
spent together.
Meanwhile, the scammers are still being
kept on the phone by Hubert Gartner.
But they're not satisfied with what he's
offered them.
I'm a bit worried.
If I went to the bank, I'd have to
withdraw another 20,000. That would be
28,000.
It's over.
Our man suggested going to the bank for
more money, but they said no.
>> [clears throat]
>> The case is cold. He was too keen.
That's what happens. When victims really
want it to work, the scammers know
something's up.
Tracking down phone scammers is
incredibly difficult.
They make the calls from abroad.
I'm convinced they do this because they
know it makes things significantly
harder for the police and the legal
system.
Requests [music] from German
investigators for assistance in other
countries often go unanswered.
That's now supposed to change.
I always say, "You have to have a drink
together, so you trust each other and
work together."
Police and prosecutors from across
Europe are meeting in Berlin.
Many of them work undercover, so we
can't show their faces.
The plan is to boost cooperation in
tackling international phone scammers.
Can we say hello?
>> [laughter]
>> Hi.
You look great.
I work in a call center now.
>> [laughter]
>> Sebastian Hölich is head of a dedicated
department at the Berlin State Criminal
Police.
He organized the event. He's great.
>> [laughter]
>> Really, a policeman to his core.
He's devoted himself to fighting this
type of crime.
That involves building up a network of
personal contacts abroad.
The conference in Berlin aims to focus
on criminals based in Poland and other
Eastern European countries.
Currently, that is where they're the
most active.
Today we have guests here from eight
countries, from Luxembourg, Europol.
>> [laughter]
>> Did I forget anyone?
Hungary, yes, of course. Hungary.
There have already been [music] some
promising results.
Investigations by colleagues in Bavaria
led to an arrest in Warsaw.
A Polish-speaking colleague was on site.
Can I see the video from Warsaw?
I'll focus on a few details that struck
me.
The Porsche parked here belonged to the
gang leader.
Stop.
That was the work space. That was the
phone used to make the calls, and here's
the laptop with a German phone directory
they used to obtain the phone numbers.
That's the main caller being arrested.
And this is what we found. 15,000 euros.
And right here, a Rolex.
And another one.
A great success.
A Lamborghini, a Porsche, a Louis
Vuitton bag.
Status symbols in these circles.
Investigators suspect that most of the
masterminds are related to each other,
part of large family networks.
These These don't know a penal code like
ours.
They have their own laws.
They have family courts.
Family rulings
that have nothing to do with our liberal
democracy or our laws.
Some members of these families leave
footprints on social media.
>> [music]
>> We follow the trail to Poland and meet a
close colleague of Desiree Schielshorn.
Lukasz takes us on a tour.
He works for the criminal police in the
city of Poznan here.
>> [music]
>> I wear a mask so I won't be recognized.
I often work on the streets when I'm
staking out suspects.
Some of the suspected masterminds of the
phone scams are believed to have lived
here in Western Poland, but have since
fled.
Lukasz wants to show us where they
lived.
You will see how rich they are. All
houses were shining, yeah, like like a
diamond. His group did a lot of scam.
They scam for a millions millions euros,
yeah, I think.
This is where some of the heads of these
families are thought to have been.
This is one of the of the streets where
they lived.
The houses look expensive.
Are they really empty?
That remains to be seen.
Hubert Gärtner still has the criminals
on the line.
The police are closing in.
The scammers are going to pick up their
takings in person.
>> [music]
[music]
>> What should I bring him or what?
>> [music]
>> He says to tell us to go down to the
door with the parcel and then hopefully
someone will come to collect it.
The phone call has been going on for
several hours.
Will the trap snap shut?
Let's see.
We're not allowed to film what happens
next.
Gärtner goes downstairs.
I wait in front of the house with the
parcel.
He's been standing down there too long.
I'm still pessimistic, but maybe we can
still make an arrest.
It doesn't feel like anyone's going to
show up.
Are the police waiting outside Gärtner's
house in vain?
>> [music]
>> Despite my pessimism, we've made an
arrest.
First we'll take their personal details
when things have calmed down a bit.
We'll take it further here.
They'll be brought in. Yes. Who exactly
called Hubert Gärtner remains unclear.
Investigators say that in many cases the
trail leads to Poland.
One suspected mastermind is believed to
have lived here in this house.
>> [music]
>> Did the neighbors notice anything
unusual?
They lived here for 2 weeks and then
half a year in Germany.
They were rarely here.
As we talk, some woman suddenly starts
yelling out of a window.
A few streets away, other family members
are also believed to have lived here.
They partied all night.
No consideration for anyone.
They parked their cars here.
At the bus stop.
They could not have cared less.
What kind of cars?
Lamborghinis and even better ones.
Do you know this car? Have you ever seen
it?
>> No, no. This one? Mhm. No.
And it was here?
It's the car we saw on social media.
This one here parked next to the house.
Clearly recognizable by the color of the
garden wall and the mailbox.
>> [music]
>> But where do these people live now? Are
they really gone?
Thank you.
At the moment, I believe they're hiding
somewhere in southern or eastern Europe.
German and Polish investigators plan the
next steps together.
Sometimes you're unlucky, but this is
the right path. If it works, we can
smash these call centers.
For now, the scams continue.
As for the investigators,
what happens next?
There are ongoing investigations and at
the moment I can't say anything.
>> [laughter]
>> It will only become public once we're
ready.
>> [music]
>> No worries.