ATHENS – Hackers and phishers have become so sophisticated in Greece – some operating internationally – that the net they’ve built to rip off people with phone and Internet scams and schemes are growing and can’t be stopped.
Some computer and cell phone users are putting themselves at greater risk of being taken if not using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs,) anti-viral programs and encrypted email sites such as Proton or Startpage which block spam mails.
But still, said Kathimerini, the fraudsters are able to reach enough people, ranging from the gullible to the overeager or unsuspecting, that the scemes perpetuated are taking people for their money.
They included, the paper said, the Mayor of Minoa on Crete, Manolis Fragakis, whose bank account saw 7,800 euros ($8,500) taken although it wasn’t said what lured him in so easily.
The Hellenic Banking Association (HBA) said that bank account hackers are stealing about 500,000 euros ($513,127) daily or 175 million euros ($180 million) annually as there seems no end to people who are being taken.
Bank fraud detection systems are preventing others but people who talk to strangers on the phone and willingly give up bank account information, passwords and other data are ripe for the plucking.
The losses are believed to be even higher than estimated because many people don’t report the scams to police and turn to private investigators – who may be dubious – to find out who did it, which almost never…
