A 70-year-old woman in Thessaloniki fell victim to a sophisticated scam just before Christmas, losing nearly €500,000 in cash, gold, and jewelry.

According to her report to the local police, the scammers called her at home claiming to be technicians from the Greek electricity provider, warning her of a supposed power leak. They instructed her to remove valuables from her house, including cash, gold coins, and jewelry, and place them outside.

The victim complied, leaving €10,000 in cash, 450 British pounds, and gold jewelry valued at approximately €100,000 in plastic bags outside her home. Shortly after, another member of the criminal group took the bags.

Once she realized she had been deceived, the woman alerted the authorities. Police have since identified three of the four suspects, though the stolen items have not yet been recovered.