A quick-thinking police officer's probing questions helped prevent an elderly Shanghai resident from losing 130,000 yuan in cash and 650 grams of gold to investment fraudsters. The incident highlights the growing threat of financial scams targeting seniors.

On September 1st, officers from Meilong Police Station in Minhang District received a fraud alert from a local bank after an elderly man, surnamed Jin, withdrew substantial amounts of cash. Police quickly responded and discovered Jin carrying 130,000 yuan in cash and 650 grams of gold in his bag, preparing to meet a stranger for an alleged "stock investment" transaction.

The officers immediately intervened and brought Jin to the police station for further investigation. Initially, Jin remained unconvinced by police warnings, though he cooperated while continuing to operate his mobile phone and avoiding key questions.

After patient questioning, Jin revealed he had received a cold call from someone claiming to offer "stock trading services" with promises of "high returns" and "guaranteed profits with no losses." The caller had convinced Jin to hand over cash through an "offline" transaction, claiming they would later transfer stock trading profits to him. Jin had arranged to meet the supposed investor near his residential complex to transfer the "investment funds."

During the intervention, police officers posed critical questions that ultimately opened Jin's eyes to the scam: "If they can really make money from this, why would they approach you?" and "If they can generate profits, why give such opportunities to strangers?"

Police spent nearly three hours explaining common fraud tactics and characteristics using real case examples. Eventually, Jin realized he had nearly fallen victim to a sophisticated scam.

Given that Jin lives alone and represents a high-risk demographic for fraud, officers contacted his brother in Shanghai to help safeguard the recovered funds. Police also took the opportunity to educate Jin about other common scams targeting elderly people, including romance frauds and health product scams.

Authorities warn the public to remain vigilant against investment schemes promising "high returns with zero risk." Citizens should immediately consult family members or contact police when approached about offline financial transactions, rather than proceeding independently with transfers or handing over valuables.

The case remains under further investigation.