Phthiotis fraud ring leader imprisoned after fake satellite scam

A fraud ring leader has been imprisoned in Phthiotis, Greece, after attempting to scam a 67-year-old man using a sophisticated deception involving a fake ‘tax office satellite’.

The mastermind contacted the victim while impersonating an accountant, claiming that a tax authority satellite was scanning homes to detect undeclared cash and gold. To avoid fines, the victim was instructed to place his valuables in a bag and leave it outside his home for the satellite to ‘record’.

Realizing it was a scam, the victim alerted the Lamia Crime Investigation Sub-directorate. He cooperated with police by filling the bag with worthless items, including stones and corn, instead of money and jewelry.

Police set up a sting operation and arrested two accomplices—a man and a woman—as they arrived to collect the bag. Investigators also discovered the suspects were using magnetic, counterfeit license plates on their vehicle to evade detection. Authorities seized four mobile phones, SIM cards, and cash during the operation. While the ringleader is in custody, the two accomplices were released under restrictive conditions.