Greece’s Anti-Money Laundering Authority has recovered more than half of the €152,000 stolen from the bank accounts of the Crete Regional Authority in an apparent phishing scam, authorities said.
The fraud began some days ago after employees entered the banking credentials of an unnamed service of the regional authority on a fake website resembling that of the authority’s bank, giving the perpetrators access to its accounts.
The suspects subsequently carried out 55 consecutive transactions in the late hours of the night, transferring relatively small amounts – an action known as “smurfing” – to accounts at a Greek bank before moving the money to beneficiaries at banks abroad.
The Anti-Money Laundering Authority immediately launched an investigation and, working with counterpart agencies in other countries, identified and secured more than half of the stolen funds.
The investigation is continuing, with authorities seeking to recover additional funds and identify those responsible.
