Police on Monday announced the arrested a man accused of involvement in a telephone scam in northeastern Greece, in which criminals again posing as electricity company employees persuaded victims to hand over cash and valuables.
The case highlights a broader pattern of impersonation fraud targeting citizens, especially the elderly, across the country, as tougher penalties for certain forms of organized fraud take effect.
The suspect was arrested following an investigation into two incidents on Oct. 10 in a settlement in Rodopi prefecture, according to a police statement.
In the first case, an unidentified caller posed as an employee of the electricity distribution utility and persuaded a woman to gather cash, jewelry and other valuables and leave them outside her home. An unidentified accomplice arrived by car and collected the items.
In a second incident, the alleged perpetrators claimed there was an electrical fault and threatened a man with a fine, attempting to persuade him to comply. The scam was unsuccessful after the intended victim realized what was happening.
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Police established that the vehicle used in the incidents belonged to the arrested man. Officers located him driving the car, which was stopped before his arrest in the immediate vicinity.
Authorities seized the vehicle, a mobile phone and an amount of cash. The suspect is to be brought before a local prosecutor.
The case comes amid growing concern over telephone scams in Greece, in which criminals impersonate electricity company employees, bank representatives, police officers, accountants and other officials to extract money or valuables from victims, frequently exploiting their trust or anxiety.
A new law was published last week in the Government Gazette, introducing tougher penalties for repeated and organized fraud committed jointly by multiple offenders when they exploit a victim’s vulnerability because of age or mental condition, or use fear, distress or insecurity to secure compliance.
Under the amended provisions of the criminal code, such offenses can carry a prison sentence of up to eight years and a fine. Where total damage exceeds 120,000 euros, the penalty can reach 10 years in prison and a fine. The provisions also cover conventional and computer-related fraud.
The legislation follows warnings by Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis that telephone scams targeting older people had reached epidemic proportions. The government has pledged a tougher response to organized fraud networks.
Recent investigations illustrate the scale of the problem. In May, authorities broke up a ring allegedly responsible for at least 117 fraud cases, with illegal gains exceeding three million euros. In October, another investigation linked six arrests to 78 alleged offenses, with proceeds estimated at more than 350,000 euros.
The methods frequently involve fabricated emergencies, alleged technical faults or supposed financial obligations, with victims instructed to hand over valuables to an accomplice or leave them outside their homes.