Two people who allegedly pulled off successful phone scams on vulnerable people, stealing about €70,000 in five days, have been arrested in northern Greece, police said Wednesday.
A police statement said the men were detained Tuesday near the town of Drama on suspicion of having defrauded seven elderly people between March 9-13 around Komotini, Serres and Alexandroupoli. Another two alleged accomplices are being sought.
Police said the suspects allegedly posed as accountants, told their victims that they needed to register any cash and jewellery kept at home with the tax authorities and offered to do the job for them if the valuables were left outdoors in a package.
The scammers then only had to pick up the package and drive away.
Similar scams have become very common across Greece, with varying scenarios but always ending with instructions for elderly people to leave cash and jewellery outdoors. Despite extensive publicity, many people still fall victim to the scammers.
To a large extent, the fraudulent ploys have replaced a string of violent burglaries that again targeted elderly people living outside urban centers who kept money and jewellery at home and were often tortured to reveal the hiding places.
