Victim of a major telephone scam became an elderly resident of the area Polityfrom whom the attackers stole 600 thousand eurosposing as technical specialists ΔΕΔΔΗΕ.
As the victim said in a television program, the scammers contacted her by phone and reported about the alleged dangerous electrical leakage in her home, requiring immediate action.
“I was hypnotized”: scammers disguised as energy specialists “conned” a pensioner out of 600,00 euros pic.twitter.com/8uSFCm8Qyx
— Athens News (@russianathens) January 5, 2026
According to the woman, the attackers used psychological pressure and various “persuasion techniques”achieving a state of complete disorientation. “They kept me on the phone for an hour and a half.”“, she said, adding that she received absurd instructions, including putting pots on the stove that was on, in order to prevent her from coming to her senses and maintaining a state of confusion.
At some point, she said, she began to act mechanically, like an obedient instrument. “They blocked both my phones—mobile and landline. Although I understood that something was wrong, I began to wrap the money in foil,” – said the woman.
The situation was interrupted by the victim’s husband, who entered the house, snatched the phone and shouted to the scammers: “Swindlers, swindlers”. However, according to the woman, at that moment she could no longer resist what was happening.
As a result, the pensioner took it out of the house all values – cash, gold coins and jewelry. The scammers took the property and fled in a taxi.
Law enforcement agencies are investigating the circumstances of the incident.
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