Prosecutors are investigating what they describe as the country’s largest organized cybercrime network, accused of stealing online banking data and draining victims’ accounts in hundreds of coordinated frauds.

The 750-page case file details a complex structure of 1,298 suspects and defendants tied to at least 669 verified scams and illicit profits exceeding €6 million since February 2022.

The organization allegedly operated from hubs across Greece – from Corfu to Crete and Thessaloniki to the Cyclades – targeting business owners, media outlets, churches and monasteries.

Unlike past phone scams, investigators say this ring had a clear hierarchy: leaders, coordinators, call centers, data collection teams and “money mules.” Its members used phishing messages posing as bank communications to obtain victims’ credentials. One victim, identified as K.S., lost €78,690 after clicking a fake bank link sent via SMS in May 2022.

Authorities traced the group’s base to Roma settlements in areas such as Zephyri, Zevgolatio and Examilia, where makeshift call centers conducted hundreds of calls daily. The centers moved frequently to avoid detection.

Relatives often filled key roles, with technically skilled members handling electronic banking systems.

The operation relied on “money mules” who, for €200-€600, handed over their banking cards and login data. After each fraud, they declared their cards lost to obscure traces.

The case’s magnitude has strained prosecutors. One directive urged police to “instill order in the files” and create a separate dossier for each suspect. “It is one of the largest case files ever compiled, making handling extremely difficult,” said defense attorney Konstantinos Gogos.

US judicial assistance and support from Google helped track the phishing infrastructure, domains and accounts linked to the ring. [kathimerini]