Young Woman from Southern Israel Robbed and Blackmailed in Telegram Loan Scam

A young woman from southern Israel became the victim of a loan scam conducted through a Telegram group. She sought a loan of 24,000 shekels and was instructed to withdraw the money from a bank branch using a withdrawal code. After she withdrew the cash, two suspects confronted her and violently robbed her of the entire amount. Following the robbery, the lender contacted her, demanding repayment of the full sum, claiming she had not transferred part of the money as agreed, effectively blackmailing her.

The woman had communicated with a group administrator on Telegram who offered her the loan. The agreement stipulated that she would keep 10,000 shekels and transfer the remainder to a third party. The police documented the robbery, and the victim described the incident, saying the assailants forcibly took the money from her despite her resistance.

Police investigator Yaakov Hershkovitz from Kiryat Gat police station warned the public to exercise caution when dealing with financial transactions and loans through unknown parties, especially on social media platforms. Authorities from the Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority also highlighted that this is not an isolated case. They noted the proliferation of Telegram groups offering loans to individuals with limited or blocked bank accounts, including minors.

Eli Tubul, head of the Regulated Financial Services Division at the Capital Market Authority, stated that the black market loan sector handles hundreds of millions of shekels annually. This illegal activity poses significant risks to citizens seeking funds through unregulated channels. Both police and financial regulators urge the public to avoid such risky transactions to prevent falling victim to scams and criminal exploitation.