Τhe phone call on the afternoon of October 20, 2025, lasted just over an hour. The caller identified himself as a technician from DEDDIE, Greece’s electricity distribution network operator. He warned the woman on the line that her home was experiencing an electrical leak and that she needed to take a series of urgent precautions. He instructed her to place all the batteries in her home on a wooden table, boil water on the stove, and gather all her jewelry. The 80-year-old was uneasy but complied. Each small task seemed to keep her occupied while suppressing any critical thought. Eventually, the man told her to leave the bag containing her valuables outside her apartment “so they would not be affected by the leak and cause radiation.”
According to the case file, the perpetrators made off with valuables worth at least €12,000. The same criminal network, whose members were arrested in early May, is believed to be responsible for more than 100 cases of fraud and attempted fraud, generating illicit profits estimated at over €3 million. The scam’s call centers were based in the western Athens districts of Acharnes, Zefyri, and Fyli.
Fraud has been on the rise across Greece over the past three years, with perpetrators including both Greek nationals and foreign citizens, primarily from Romania and Bulgaria. According to police sources, a significant number of these cases involve Roma individuals. Similar investigations were concluded in April and February, leading to arrests in Zefyri and Zevgolatio, western Athens, and once again drawing attention to criminal activity in certain settlements. Authorities believe that some individuals previously involved in burglaries have shifted to telephone fraud because the risk of detection is lower. At least 10 suspects in the latest major fraud case had previously been arrested for aggravated theft.
