Phthiotis: Scammers rob 86-year-old woman after three-hour phone scam

An 86-year-old woman in Glyfa, Phthiotis, was targeted in a sophisticated three-hour telephone scam on Saturday, October 10. Fraudsters convinced the victim that an electrical leak in her home posed an imminent fire risk.

To maintain control, the scammers kept the woman on the phone until 4:00 PM, using local names and even correctly guessing the number of electrical outlets in her room to build credibility. During the call, a woman impersonated the victim's daughter, urging her to follow the instructions of the fake technicians to prevent a fire.

Under pressure, the elderly woman placed approximately 500 euros in cash and various pieces of jewelry into a bag and placed it outside her home to protect them from the alleged fire. An unidentified man in a black Nissan Almera then snatched the bag and fled the scene. Following the theft, the perpetrators reportedly called the home again, impersonating police officers.