Man arrested in Athens over scam claiming deadly accident

A woman in the Athens neighborhood of Koukaki turned in a 28-year-old Bulgarian man after he allegedly attempted to cheat money out of her by claiming that her sister had caused a car accident in which a child was killed.

The suspect reportedly called the unidentified woman pretending to be a police officer, and threatened her that her sister would go to jail unless she paid 4,500 euros for him to arrange her release.

The 28-year-old was reportedly working with a female accomplice who spoke to the victim on the telephone in the guise of her sister, backing the man’s story.

The woman immediately reported the incident to the police, who sent officers to arrest the 28-year-old at the spot where she had been instructed to deliver the money.

Police also have reason to believe that the suspect had successfully gotten away with the same scam on at least four occasions in the Neos Cosmos area.

His female accomplice is still at large.