Couple arrested over doctor scam

A couple was arrested on Friday afternoon in Larnaca on suspicion of posing as doctors to extort money from an elderly woman, a crime that cost over €100,000 to pensioners of the district.

Police said they found gold jewellery in their house and are investigating whether they are part of the property that was extorted.

Investigations started on Thursday when a 79-year-old woman reported that she received a phone call on her landline from an unknown person who asked her for €50,000 for a surgery for her daughter.

The pensioner believed the unknown caller and a few minutes later gave €9,000 to a woman, who appeared around 60-years-old and had come to her house.

About 15 minutes later, the perpetrators called again and demanded more money. When the same woman showed up again, the pensioner gave her nine gold pounds and some gold necklaces, chains and rings.

From mid-May until Thursday, the Larnaca police station received over 70 complaints related to money extortion by people posing as doctors. Scammers extracted more than €100,000 from four different elderly women.