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A familiar voice on the phone is usually enough to put someone at ease. According to Greek police, one criminal group turned that trust into a tool for stealing more than €1 million.
Authorities say the organization used artificial intelligence to clone the voices of victims’ relatives and friends, making its scams sound far more convincing than the usual suspicious phone call.
Two alleged members, aged 23 and 25, were arrested during a police operation in Nea Ionia, Attica. Officers reportedly caught them shortly after they had taken valuables worth €30,000 from a victim’s home.
Police described the two suspects as the group’s “collectors”—the people sent to pick up money or valuables after victims had been persuaded to follow instructions.
Four other people are included in the case, three of whom have been identified. They face allegations involving a criminal organization, fraud, and repeated aggravated thefts, both completed and attempted.
Investigators believe the group had been active since at least early July and operated with clearly divided roles. Some members managed the operation, while others worked as telephone callers or collectors.
The callers allegedly contacted potential victims while pretending to represent electricity network operator HEDNO, mobile phone providers, fiber-optic companies, or other service businesses.
In many cases, the conversation began with a seemingly ordinary issue, such as the installation of a fiber-optic connection. The caller would then give the victim specific instructions as part of the supposed work.
If the victim became suspicious, the scammers had another trick ready.
They would suggest contacting a relative or trusted person who could supposedly confirm that everything was legitimate. After obtaining that person’s telephone number, another member of the group would call them while posing as a representative of a mobile phone company.
Police say even a short conversation was enough to collect a sample of the person’s voice.
Using AI software, the group allegedly copied the voice and then called the original victim again. This time, the victim would hear what appeared to be their relative or friend reassuring them that the procedure was genuine.
It was not the relative speaking. It was an artificial version of their voice.
The method allowed the scammers to overcome the very safety check many people are told to use: asking someone they trust before handing over money or valuables.
So far, police have linked the group to five additional cases using a similar method. Investigators also solved the theft of a vehicle on Sept. 14 that was allegedly used by the organization during its operations.
A public-use vehicle and two mobile phones were seized during the investigation.
Police estimate that the group made more than €1 million through its activities, although the full scale of the alleged operation is still being examined.
The two suspects were taken before a prosecutor and referred to an investigating judge.
The case carries an uncomfortable warning for people in Cyprus as well as Greece: Hearing a loved one’s voice is no longer proof that they are actually on the line. If a call involves money, valuables, or urgent instructions, hang up and call the person directly using a number already saved in your phone.
