Elderly defrauded of €40,000 in utility worker scam

A group of Roma individuals continues to defraud elderly people by posing as employees of the Greek Public Power Corporation (DEI) and the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization (OTE), aiming to steal money. Police analyst Stavros Balaskas revealed that scammers are specifically targeting senior citizens to exploit their vulnerability.

In addition to pretending to be utility workers, these scammers often claim that a family member, such as a child or grandchild, has been in an accident. This tactic encourages trust, allowing the perpetrators to swindle money before disappearing.

Balaskas shared a troubling example of an award-winning police officer from Patras who stole €40,000 from an elderly woman. "This incident upset me deeply," he said. He explained that this officer had once arrested a notorious criminal, but now turned to fraud, adding, "How heartbreaking is it for a police officer to be honored with a medal typically given to widows who have lost their loved ones?"

The Greek Police, in response to the growing number of scams, launched a public awareness campaign emphasizing that DEI employees have no business inside homes, with their duties ending at the electricity meter. For any household issues, professional electricians should be contacted.

Scammers often start their approach with random phone calls to find out whether the elderly person lives alone or with family. If the target is isolated, the scammers then attempt a face-to-face meeting. Balaskas noted that this scheme originated with Roma in Bulgaria, and the Greek police first dismantled these gangs in Thessaloniki before the fraud spread to Athens.

[Information sourced from Ertnews]