Bulgarian Police Detain Suspects in Series of Telephone Fraud Cases

Jerusalem, 3 September, 2025 (TPS-IL) -- Peshtera (BTA) – A 39-year-old woman and an 18-year-old man were detained in a police operation in the southern Bulgarian town of Peshtera, suspected of being intermediaries in telephone fraud, the Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Interior in Pazardzhik announced.

On September 1, an 88-year-old city resident was scammed by a man who posed as a doctor. He convinced her that a relative of hers needed urgent treatment, after which the woman left 3,000 leva in front of her house. A day later, a 93-year-old man handed over 6,000 leva ($3,500) to another conman who posed as a police officer investigating phone scams.

After receiving the signals, a team of the Criminal Police at the Peshtera Regional Office undertook operational and investigative actions, during which the two intermediaries were identified and detained. Part of the amount taken from the elderly people was found in their possession.

Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated in the cases under the supervision of the Pazardzhik District Prosecutor’s Office, and work on documenting them continues.

A few days ago, a man was arrested in Pazardzhik for participating in telephone fraud. He called a landline phone used by a 76-year-old woman and introduced himself as a police officer, claiming to be investigating telephone fraud. He asked for money to serve as bait for the fraudsters. Near her home, the woman handed over 4,800 leva ($2,800) and in another case, an 88-year-old woman threw 8,000 leva ($4,700) over the balcony.