Greek police have dismantled a criminal ring that posed as power company technicians, accountants and telecom employees to defraud victims, arresting eight people, including two ringleaders, in an operation in the Athens suburb of Zefyri this week.
Police said the group had operated since at least June, pulling in more than €700,000 by cold-calling victims picked from phone directories and online lookup sites, then posing as employees of grid operator DEDDIE, phone or energy companies, or accountants citing fake tax issues, power leaks or network faults to convince targets to leave cash and valuables in accessible spots for pickup.
To sound convincing, callers played DEDDIE's actual automated hold-message recording and simulated police siren sound effects while impersonating officers.
The group frequently relocated its call center and rotated phone numbers to evade detection, and installed security shutters and surveillance cameras to spot approaching police.
The organization included two ringleaders overseeing operations, a "scout" who sourced phone numbers and targets, and five callers who executed the scam directly.
Police seized 10 mobile phones, a printed phone directory, handwritten notes and €960 in cash. All eight suspects have been referred to prosecutors.