Athens scammers impersonate utility workers to steal valuables

A criminal ring operating in the southern suburbs of Athens is targeting unsuspecting citizens through sophisticated impersonation scams. Fraudsters pose as employees of utility companies, such as DEDDIE, or as accountants to gain victims' trust.

In one common tactic, scammers call victims claiming there is a dangerous electrical fault or an upcoming power outage. They instruct victims to perform specific actions, such as placing pots of water on the stove or removing metal jewelry, to supposedly mitigate ‘radiation’ or electrical risks. During these calls, they manipulate victims into gathering cash, jewelry, and valuables in a single, accessible location.

Victims have reported being isolated in specific rooms while the perpetrators enter their homes to steal the gathered items. Another variation of the scam involves criminals posing as accountants who claim they need to conduct an inventory of assets for security purposes. These incidents have resulted in significant losses of money, gold, and personal identification documents.