Police in central and northern Greece said Tuesday they have broken three separate rings of phone scammers who talked elderly people into handing over cash and valuables they kept at home.
Although very common, such scams targeting vulnerable people living alone are also highly successful, despite repeated public information campaigns and hundreds of arrests.
In the northern town of Serres, police said they have identified and charged a man believed to have collected some €14,000 in cash and jewellery worth a total €40,000 from four elderly women earlier this month.
A police statement said the suspect operated in coordination with unknown scammers. They allegedly phoned the women, identifying themselves as electricity company employees, claiming that their home wiring was faulty and getting them to leave all cash and jewellery in a bag to be picked up by the suspect – supposedly to eliminate any risk of electrocution.
In the northeastern town of Kavala, three people were arrested for picking up cash and valuables taken, under similar circumstances, from two elderly people in nearby Alexandroupoli.
