2024-05-03 05:47:06
A sum of 20,000 euros was handed over by a 73-year-old man to a 60-year-old man on a pre-arranged date, in order for his son, who lives in Italy, to avoid the criminal consequences due to the alleged death of a girl he had caused in a traffic accident.
There had been a phone call to the elderly man, in which an unknown accomplice of the 60-year-old, pretending to be a police officer from a police service in Italy, asked him for the payment of 80,000 euros.
After an investigation, the police officers of the Ioannina Security Directorate were able to identify the 60-year-old, against whom a case was filed for fraud. The case file will be submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office of Primary Ioannina, while the investigation to discover the identity and others involved in the case continues.
With an occasion similar to the above incident, where astute people, with various pretexts and excuses, extort sums of money, with the elderly being the most frequent victims, the General Regional Police Directorate of Epirus advises the citizens:
• be especially wary of strangers who attempt to enter your home under various pretexts and tricks,
• do not be persuaded by strangers, who appear as employees of the Public Service or another body to repair a technical problem (electricity failure, elevator, etc.) if you have not previously called them;
• it is pointed out that hospitals or public services do not send their employees to homes or public places to ask citizens to pay money for services they provide,
• don’t be easily convinced by people who “approach” you as acquaintances of relatives – friends,
• be especially wary when strangers call you and try to convince you to give them money, under the pretext that your relative has caused a car accident,
• in these cases, always seek to contact your relative by phone yourself, to confirm what they are referring to,
• the communication should be made with your own phone and on your own initiative and you should not accept to speak with a person called by strangers,
• for the same reasons not to give in to invitations to meet (appointments, etc.),
• in any case, to declare that you are not going to give money,
• inform your loved ones (of the close and wider family, friendly and social environment) and especially the elderly and advise them so that they are not deceived by clever people,
• try to retain the characteristics of the perpetrators, if they come into contact with you, as well as the vehicles they drive (registration number, vehicle make, color, etc.), to help the work of the law enforcement authorities;
• always have available the telephone numbers you need to contact in case of emergency (Police, Fire Brigade, Hospitals, close relatives, etc.),
• always inform the police authorities, even in the event of an attempted fraud against you.
More advice on avoiding fraud can be found on the official website of the Hellenic Police (www.hellenicpolice.gr) in the Citizen’s Guide section.