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5 clusters · 9 sources · 30 days · First seen · Last updated

Telephone fraud and impersonation scams in Europe

Overview

Separate incidents of telephone fraud and impersonation scams have been reported in Greece and Bulgaria. In the Pella region of Greece, three men were arrested after targeting a woman by impersonating a DEDDIE employee. The suspects claimed there was a risk of an electrical leak at her residence, convincing her to leave 6,000 euros in cash and 10,000 euros worth of jewelry outside her home for protection. Police later located the suspects in the Thessaloniki area and recovered a portion of the stolen cash and jewelry. A subsequent attempted fraud in Pella involved a different scheme targeting an elderly woman. In this instance, a female accomplice impersonated an accountant claiming the victim owed tax fines. The accomplice instructed the victim to hand over cash and jewelry to a male associate for “photographic purposes.” Police intercepted the male suspect as he approached the residence and have identified a second accomplice waiting nearby in a vehicle. The arrested individual is to be brought before the Janissina Prosecutor.

In May 2026, police in Pella solved another telephone fraud case involving the theft of 8,350 euros via an impersonated accounting office employee. More recently, authorities solved a July 2026 case in which an elderly couple was targeted by perpetrators impersonating DEDDIE employees. The scammers claimed there was a problem with local electrical voltage and instructed the victims to wrap 220 gold sovereigns, 7,500 euros in cash, and 15,000 euros worth of jewelry in aluminum foil and place them under an electrical panel. One Greek national has been identified, and a case file has been prepared for the Prosecutor of First Instance in Giannitsa.

In Panagyurishte, Bulgaria, a 52-year-old man was detained for acting as a middleman in a scam targeting a 75-year-old woman involving false claims about a relative’s medical needs and police impersonation.

Entities

DEDDIE · Pella · Thessaloniki · Pella Police Directorate · Banya

Timeline

  1. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Pella police solve telephone fraud involving gold and cash theft

    Police in Pella solved a telephone scam where an elderly couple was tricked into handing over 220 gold sovereigns, 7,500 euros, and 15,000 euros worth of jewelry by impersonators of a utility company.

  2. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Pella police solve telephone fraud case involving 8,350 euros

    Police in Pella, Greece, have identified a suspect in a May 2026 telephone scam that defrauded a local man of 8,350 euros through impersonation.

  3. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Pella police arrest man for attempted fraud against elderly woman

    A man was arrested in Pella, Greece, after attempting to scam an elderly woman by impersonating an accountant to steal cash and jewelry.

  4. [CRIME] 3 sources
    Panagyurishte police arrest man for involvement in 3,500 euro phone scam

    A 52-year-old man was arrested in Panagyurishte for acting as a middleman in a phone scam that defrauded a 75-year-old woman of 3,500 euros.

  5. [CRIME] 2 sources
    Pella police arrest three men for telephone fraud scam

    Three men were arrested in Greece for a telephone scam in Pella, where they stole 6,000 euros and 10,000 euros worth of jewelry by impersonating a utility worker.

Sources

emvolos.gr · ertnews.gr · patrapress.gr · pellasimera.gr · protothema.gr · tastv.gr · telenews.bg · trafficnews.bg · zname.info

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history