Over the past few months, a new scam circulating on Facebook involving “forgotten parcels” full of tablets, coffee machines, branded bags and hair dryers, which ELTA allegedly sells for €2 to anyone lucky enough to provide their card details, has reached enormous proportions.
According to a report by thesstoday.gr, through a Facebook page that has appropriated the name of the Greek Post Office, but without linking to any official website, scammers are “catching” unsuspecting citizens on the Internet, luring them with “thousands of forgotten parcels that are waiting new purchaser at post offices.”
To make the fraud more believable, in the corresponding description they write that “according to the current rules, the company ELTA Hellenic Post” is obliged to throw away (recycle) undelivered parcels once a year and offers the opportunity to everyone to pick up random parcels for only 2.00 euros. Inside these packages you will find amazing items: from tablets and coffee machines to books and bags.”
With this trick, attackers manage to deceive your victims by gaining access to their bank accounts. This particular page created two weeks ago, however, as ELTA Corporate Communications Director Lazaros Lazaridis explains to Thesstoday.gr, this is just one of many targeting unsuspecting citizens over the past six months. As he clarifies, this is a world-class industry that has been around for many years. “This is something that is done all over the world, it’s just that the ‘label’ changes from country to country. There are similar scammers abroad under the guise of Amazon, and in Greece – ELTA.”
“In Greece, the “forgotten package” scam first appeared in April 2023, when a company filed a lawsuit. “We took all legal actions, contacted the prosecutor’s office and the competent authorities involved in the fight against cyber fraud. However, it is a very complex process because as soon as one site closes, 10 more open,” he explains.
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