Officer Ronnie Anderson calls in just before 9 a.m. Thursday morning. A time when most people are awake enough to pick up their cell phones. But maybe not all antennae of suspicion have been deployed yet. As if Officer Ronnie Anderson knew it.
As a journalist, it sometimes happens that a police officer calls you, even on your mobile phone. Ideally, because an official has something relevant to say. This is less welcome if the press sign in the car was not convincing enough to stop in the no-parking zone. Everything already been there. But now it’s about bigger dimensions.
Officer Ronnie Anderson says he works for the European police agency Europol. Where was their seat again? Belgium or rather Holland? Well, it will be plausible that the man speaks English. While in a Bavarian kitchen coffee flows from the machine into a cup, in a Dutch office – or was it in Belgium? – Hear background voices and keyboard typing. Seems like there’s a lot going on at Europol.
The conversation now lasts almost seven minutes. Officer Anderson’s voice is serious now. He explains that he now recommends listening very carefully. As a victim of identity theft, this is very important. In such cases, there was a risk of significant losses. The bank account could be very empty very soon. But, he says, the commissioner has a “100 percent secure solution” ready.
The path to this solution was conspicuously sophisticated. The call comes from an inconspicuous German cell phone number. Anyone who picks up is played an automatic announcement containing the word “Europol” and other official and European elements. Then you get into a kind of “anteroom” of the commissioner, two minutes later you are greeted with “Officer Anderson speaking”. Suspecting that the officer might be a Saubazi, Ronnie Anderson grabs his secret weapon. He lets you google the Dutch phone number +31 703025001 – which actually leads to results where “Europol” comes up. A short time later you get a call from this number. As proof that the officer really is one. Maybe he only wants good things after all?
After a good ten minutes, the antennae of suspicion finally get the clearest signal to date: the officer asks to switch on the laptop and install a program with which he can switch to the device. Namely, now it comes to bring the money of the person robbed to safety. Is everything fine, Officer. Anyone wishing to inquire personally about Officer Anderson’s investigation can reach him on his Dutch number on +31 85 208 1914.