[REVISION HISTORY]

Escalating telephone and AI fraud targeting seniors inGreece

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What changed

2026-10-25 22:21 UTC → 2026-10-29 12:04 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Since July 2024, Greek police have conducted numerous operations against telephone-fraud rings targeting senior citizens. Criminal groups have increasingly employed advanced methods, including artificial intelligence to mimic voices and ‘double call’ strategies where one perpetrator poses as an official and a second poses as a police officer to build trust. In late September 2026, law enforcement dismantled a highly organized group in Zefyri, Attica, which had embezzled over 700,000 euros by impersonating DEDDIE employees, accountants, and utility representatives. In Lamia, a 90-year-old man was defrauded of 80,000 euros through a two-stage scam involving aggressive threats and a fake Financial Crimes Division officer. Similar tactics were seen in Arta, where suspects used a ‘double telephone scam’ to steal over 11,400 euros from an elderly woman, and in Katerini, where a woman lost 33,000 euros to scammers posing as DEDDIE employees. Throughout October 2026, police dismantled several more rings. In Ano Liosia, a call center operation involving eight arrests was linked to over 800,000 euros in illegal gains. In Ierapetra, a gang was caught extorting nearly 140,000 euros in cash and jewelry by posing as doctors or police officers. Other operations in Thessaloniki, Lesvos, and Heraklion targeted victims through ‘double trap’ methods or by impersonating utility workers to facilitate the theft of valuables left in predetermined locations. Newer incidents highlight extreme psychological manipulation and massive losses. In ~~response to the rise in sophisticated crimes, including~~ Thessaloniki, an 88-year-old woman was defrauded of approximately 4.7 million euros after scammers used the ~~use~~ threat of AI electrocution to ~~mimic children’s voices in Volos, Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis announced a legislative move~~ convince her to ~~reclassify telephone fraud as a felony regardless~~ surrender 38 kilograms of ~~the amount stolen. Additionally, the Hellenic Police plan to establish~~ gold sovereigns. In Karditsa, a ~~specialized unit dedicated~~ sting operation led to ~~investigating these scams.~~ the arrest of three individuals suspected of stealing over 146,000 euros. In Rhodope and Drama, police solved cases where utility impersonation was used to facilitate the collection of cash and gold by accomplices.

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