Greek Police Dismantle Fraud Gang That Posed as Police Officers

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Greek police have dismantled a criminal organisation that allegedly carried out aggravated thefts and fraud by posing as employees of Greece’s electricity distribution operator DEDDIE, accountants, telecommunications and energy companies, and even police officers.

Police arrested eight Greek nationals, including the organisation’s two alleged leaders, during an operation conducted two days ago in the Zefyri area.

According to police, the suspects formed and joined a criminal organisation to make large numbers of daily telephone calls to potential victims and present false information as fact in order to obtain illegal financial gains. The organisation had operated since at least June and allegedly made more than €700,000.

The suspects reportedly selected random names from printed telephone directories and an online telephone directory service before calling their targets. During the calls, they posed as DEDDIE employees, telecommunications or energy company staff, or accountants.

They used various pretexts, including tax declarations, electricity leaks and technical faults affecting telecommunications or energy networks. They then persuaded victims to gather cash and valuables and leave them at easily accessible locations inside or outside their homes. Other members of the organisation would then arrive and take the money and valuables.

The suspects often used recorded DEDDIE automated messages, including the message played when customers are placed on hold during calls to the organisation, as well as emergency sound signals. They played the recordings during conversations to make their claims appear genuine.

They also posed as police officers and used sound effects resembling the sirens of Hellenic Police patrol vehicles.

To make it harder for authorities to locate them, the organisation regularly moved its telephone call centres and frequently changed its operational telephone connections and numbers.

The group also installed security shutters and surveillance systems at the locations where the call centres operated, allowing members to detect police presence at an early stage.

Police said the organisation had two leaders, one “scout” and five “telephone operators”, each with a specific role.

The two leaders supervised the call centre and coordinated the organisation’s operations. The scout collected and activated telephone connections and identified potential victims, while the five telephone operators made calls to victims and formed the core of the organisation’s operations.

During searches, police seized 10 mobile phones, a printed telephone directory and sections of it, handwritten notes and €960 in cash.

The eight suspects were taken before a prosecutor and referred to an investigating magistrate.

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