Alpha News

Outrageous Fraud: They Told Him They Kidnapped His Son and Stole Over £300,000

Published January 5, 2026, 15:22

Fraudsters managed to swindle over £300,000 (approximately €330,000) from a 98-year-old man in Thessaloniki by pretending they had kidnapped his son. The incident occurred around 5 pm on Tuesday, December 30th, in the city center. According to the victim's report, everything began after he received a phone call from an unknown perpetrator who informed him that his son had been kidnapped and that he would need to hand over the gold pounds for his safe return. Believing his son's life was in danger, the 98-year-old complied with the perpetrator's demands and initially handed over 299 English pounds to a woman waiting for him at the entrance of his apartment building. After returning to his apartment, the elderly man received another call on his landline from the same person, urgently demanding the remaining pounds. Under duress, the 98-year-old handed over another 71 Belgian pounds to the same person waiting at the entrance of his home. The total value of the pounds handed over to the perpetrators amounts to approximately €330,000. The elderly man filed a complaint the following day with the White Collar Crime Prosecution Department, and police investigations are underway to locate the fraudsters. The case highlights the vulnerability of elderly individuals to fraud and the need for increased awareness and caution.