Fraud attempts targeting elderly double in Thessaloniki in 2025
Attempts to defraud elderly residents in Thessaloniki doubled in 2025 compared to the previous year, while overall fraud cases rose by 38%, according to data provided by the city’s General Police Directorate to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).
Police recorded 803 fraud cases in 2025, up from 583 in 2024. Attempted frauds also increased, reaching 100 in 2025 compared with 51 the previous year.
Authorities investigated 182 cases in 2025, resulting in three arrests, while in 2024, 116 cases were investigated and two arrests were made.
Responding to questions about the relatively low number of arrests, police officials said most incidents are reported with significant delays, complicating efforts to immediately identify suspects. Despite this, 32 perpetrators were identified in 2024 and 30 in 2025 following investigations.
