Tourists in Greece are deceived with false signs: Closed beach and bed bugs

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Tourists in Greece are deceived with false signs Closed beach

In the subway, at airports and in cinemas.

They popped up a little everywhere.

Now the fear is exploited to deceive tourists.

Quick version

  • Signs warning of bed bugs have appeared on houses in Greece. Tourists are asked to leave their rented accommodation and are threatened with fines.
  • Greek health authorities have involved the police – because the signs are fake.
  • The scams are linked to the increased opposition to the tourism industry, where renting to tourists has caused a housing crisis.

    • ⓘ The summary is made with the support of AI tools from OpenAI and quality assured by Aftonbladet. Read our AI policy here.

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    Health authorities in Greece have called in the police after mysterious signs appeared on house facades in Athens.

    The signs have been put up at houses where apartments are offered to tourists on rental sites, writes The Guardian.

    The message is encouraging – and terrifying.

    Threatened with fines

    In poor English, all “dear visitors” are asked to vacate the apartments as soon as possible.

    The fraudsters write that the authorities have decided that all privately rented housing must be evacuated to “protect public health among all permanently resident Greek tenants”.

    Those who do not obey the call are threatened with a fine of 500 euros, approximately SEK 5,600.

    The reason is an ongoing invasion of bed bugs in the area.

    But such does not exist.

    The increasing number of cases of bed bugs in public environments mainly in France that created semi-panic in large parts of Europe last autumn has not spread to Greece.

    full screenMysterious signs posted in Athens.

    The police are investigating the scam

    The Greek Ministry of Health said in a statement that the signs are “totally false” and wants the police to “do what is necessary to deal with the scam”. writes The Guardian.

    “No one has the right to terrorize and spread misinformation to the public” in public health matters, the authorities state.

    Tourism is controversial in Greece, as in several other warm countries in southern Europe where visitors flock.

    On the one hand, it is extremely important for the economy. On the other hand, the residents suffer from the downsides.

    The trend of apartments being rented out on short-term contracts to tourists has contributed to creating a housing crisis in Greece.

    Rents have increased and many Greeks do not have a chance to live in attractive residential areas in central Athens, writes The Guardian.

    full screen The signs claim that there is an ongoing invasion of bed bugs in the area. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Warned of dangerous jellyfish

    The scam in Athens is not the first time local residents have tried to trick tourists with false messages.

    Along bathing areas in Mallorca, during the high season in August, a group of activists put up signs in English stating that the beach was closed.

    The same sign said in Spanish that it was open, writes Sky News.

    Another warned of “dangerous jellyfish” in English. But also stated in Spanish “beach open, but not for jellyfish and foreigners”.

    The same thing with a sign that warned of “landslides”.

    The activist group Manacor Caterva stated on X that it was behind the scam, citing “overcrowded beaches” and “mass tourism” as reasons.

    “If you want to use the images and print your own posters, all you have to do is ask us and we will send them to you in high quality,” they write.

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