Hellenic Police warn of rising vishing and smishing scams

The Hellenic Police and the Cyber Crime Division have issued urgent warnings regarding a surge in sophisticated digital and telephone scams targeting citizens in Greece. These fraudulent activities utilize various methods, including vishing (voice phishing) and smishing (SMS phishing), to steal personal, financial, and banking information.

In one common tactic, scammers use automated recordings to impersonate police officers, claiming the recipient is involved in illegal activity to create a sense of urgency and panic. Another prevalent method involves SMS messages appearing to come from the “Traffic Police,” directing users to fake websites that mimic the official gov.gr portal. These sites often use psychological pressure, such as offering a 50% discount on fines if paid immediately, to trick users into entering credit card details or e-banking credentials.

Authorities also warn of a new generation of scams where criminals impersonate accountants, bank employees, or public service officials (such as e-EFKA) to discuss tax refunds or outstanding debts. Most notably, the police have highlighted the emerging risk of using artificial intelligence for voice cloning, which allows scammers to mimic the voices of relatives to request emergency funds. The Hellenic Police emphasize that they never use automated messages to notify citizens of criminal involvement, nor do they request sensitive data or immediate payments via SMS links.