Elderly people tricked with "free medical assessments" into taking out loans for expensive devices

On Tuesday, 6 October 2026, Bucharest police carried out five residential searches as part of a criminal fraud investigation. Investigators are examining the activities of companies operating as health centres, through which a number of elderly people were allegedly lured with promises of free medical assessments. The investigation covers the period from July 2025 to September 2026.

According to the Bucharest Metropolitan Police, the suspects reportedly used the prospect of accessing funding for health programmes as a pretext to attract victims. Following the assessments provided, elderly individuals were allegedly told they were suffering from various conditions and persuaded that these could be treated using medical devices sold by the respective centres.

How victims were allegedly pressured into making purchases

Investigators claim that, in some cases, conditions the victims were already aware of were presented as being more serious than they actually were, in order to convince them that the devices on offer could resolve their health problems. Police state that, through this method, the suspects allegedly induced an emotional state that led victims to purchase the products at prices considered unjustifiably high relative to their actual market value.

In many instances, the products were reportedly purchased using personal loans, meaning the elderly individuals did not pay the full amount upfront but were left with financial obligations for the devices they had acquired.

Some victims taken directly to the bank

According to investigators, the alleged scheme continued into the financing stage as well. The Bucharest Metropolitan Police stated: "To obtain these loans, individuals were accompanied to bank branches by centre employees, while in other cases credit agreements were signed by the suspects directly from the victims' mobile devices, with their consent."

Centre employees were thus allegedly directly involved in securing the loans required to purchase the devices. Police maintain that victims were influenced through information provided during the medical assessments, including the exaggeration of the severity of pre-existing health conditions.

Five individuals taken in for questioning

To gather evidence, officers executed five residential search warrants, including at the premises of legal entities. The five individuals targeted in the investigation were identified and brought in for questioning, with appropriate legal measures to be taken against them accordingly.

The investigation is being conducted by officers from the Bodily Harm and Manslaughter Service, with the support of the Central Criminal Investigation Service, under the supervision of the Prosecutor's Office attached to the Sector 3 Court of First Instance. The case concerns the offence of fraud, and the charges are currently under investigation.