Phone scams targeting elderly people are on the rise in Greece, causing concern in local communities, according to the report.

In Patras, scammers deceived an elderly woman into placing cash and jewelry worth €20,000 on the balcony of her home, outside her apartment, where the perpetrators were able to take them.

Scammers use elaborate stories

Fraudsters frequently pose as employees of government agencies, including Greece’s Public Power Corporation (PPC), to gain the trust of their victims.

In other cases, they use elaborate pretexts to persuade elderly people to remove their valuables from their homes.

One such claim involved a need to “record the money by satellite,” according to the report. Using such stories, scammers convince victims to take cash and jewelry outside their homes, where the perpetrators can collect them.

Authorities urge caution

Authorities are urging citizens, particularly elderly people, not to act impulsively when receiving suspicious phone calls.

They advise people to immediately contact their children or younger relatives to verify the information provided by the caller before taking any action.

The warning comes as phone scams targeting elderly residents continue to cause concern in local communities.