Thessaloniki: 85-year-old woman contributed to the investigation of a telephone fraud ring

The initial shock for the 85-year-old from Thessaloniki was great when she answered the phone. On the other end of the line was a man who introduced himself to her as an Athens Police officer.

“Your daughter caused a car accident and killed a minor from Albania. If you pay 180,000 euros, we will withdraw the lawsuit against her,” said the stranger, while in the background a female voice could be heard, which was supposed to belong to her daughter, shouting “Mom, feel sorry for me…”. “I don’t have that much money“, answered the old woman.

The negotiation had just begun, but this time the “combination” of astute men who extort unsuspecting elderly people with the method of traffic “monkey” – fraud which in recent years has developed into a scourge – would not thrive.

The 85-year-old – as she testified later – reported that she only has 7,000 euros with the “policeman” urging her to go to the bank in order to “pick it up” and hand it over along with any jewelry and valuables she might have. Another phone call would follow with instructions on how and where to deliver. Despite the surprise, the old woman managed to keep her composure. “Is it from the mafia asking for money?” he wondered. He had heard – after all – about the activity of criminal groups that deceive citizens with such practices.

After successive phone calls she made to people close to her, including her daughter, who assured her that she was fine, she realized that her suspicion was confirmed. She immediately contacted the Police and an operation was set up that led to the arrest of a 35-year-old man of Bulgarian origin, who later and after constant calls to the 85-year-old woman and the supposed policeman would appear in a taxi under her house to collect the money and jewelry .

As revealed by the police investigation, it was a “collector” of the criminal group who, in exchange for 50 euros for each “route”, undertook the receipt of “prey”.

He himself confessed his involvement in the above case, as well as in two more completed frauds, from which he obtained the total amount of 57,000 euros on behalf of the criminal group.

The Three-member Court of Criminal Appeal of Thessaloniki – before which he was called to account today – sentenced him to 4.5 years in prison, with recognition of mitigating circumstances. After the Court’s verdict he returned to prison to serve his sentence, as it was not suspended or commuted.

The 85-year-old testified in Court, where she described minute by minute the chronicle of the adventure she experienced last September. “Tthe shock one gets is terrible […] I hope no mother hears this,” she added. In contrast to her case, another elderly woman fell into the net of fraudsters. “At that moment you operate with emotion, not logiche testified about the moment of the initial surprise.

As far as the leaders of these circles are concerned, from cases that reach the Courts of Thessaloniki, it appears that they are difficult to locate and rarely arrested.

“They are usually abroad and calling from unknown mobile phones. They contact their “collectors” who are expendable and give them instructions on where to go,” said a police officer with knowledge of such cases.

RES-EMP

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