Lamia: Scammers impersonate police to steal 80,000 euros from elderly man

A 90-year-old man in Lamia was defrauded of approximately 80,000 euros in a sophisticated two-stage telephone scam. The incident began when an unknown caller contacted the elderly man, using aggressive language to threaten his life unless money was delivered immediately.

Shortly after the initial threat, a second caller contacted the victim, impersonating an officer from the Financial Crimes Division. This individual claimed that authorities were monitoring the line and sought the victim's cooperation to catch the extortionist in the act. The perpetrator convinced the man that providing more valuables would ensure a harsher prison sentence for the criminal.

Believing he was assisting the police, the victim gathered gold sovereigns, cash, and jewelry into a bag. A man arrived at the residence shortly after to collect the bag and fled the scene. The victim reported the crime to the Hellenic Police, and the Lamia Criminal Investigation Sub-directorate is currently reviewing security footage and searching for the suspects.