Greece to classify elder phone scams as felonies amid nationwide 'epidemic'

Speaking on MEGA NEWS RADIO 104.6 with hosts Iordanis Chasapopoulos and Anthi Voulgari, Mr. Chrysochoidis outlined an aggressive legislative and operational crackdown on fraud rings targeting vulnerable populations. 

He said that deceptive calls and digital schemes are now occurring daily by the dozens across the country.

"These acts need to be classified as felonies, with particularly aggravating circumstances when the victims are elderly," Mr. Chrysochoidis said, pledging strict penalties for those who systematically strip senior citizens of their assets.

To enforce the crackdown, the government has established a specialized task force within its newly minted Directorate for Combating Organized Crime—widely dubbed the "Greek FBI." 

The dedicated unit will exclusively track and dismantle scam syndicates.

The policy shift follows a high-level coordination meeting on Monday between law enforcement agencies, banking representatives, and the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DEDDIE). 

Fraudsters routinely impersonate DEDDIE technicians or bank officials to gain the trust of elderly targets, frequently faking urgent financial or family emergencies to extract large sums of cash and valuables.