The State Police of Viterbo arrested two young Neapolitans, one of whom was a minor, accused of defrauding an elderly couple suffering from physical illnesses, stealing 15.000 euros from them.
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The two youths, an 18-year-old and a 17-year-old, were stopped in the act by officers from the Flying Squad of the Viterbo Police Headquarters.
On the morning of October 5, investigators had set up a specific preventive service, as they had received news of the possibility that some scams could be committed in the Acquapendente area against the elderly.
Around lunchtime, officers noticed a suspicious car in an isolated stretch of a hamlet of Acquapendente. They then proceeded to stop the vehicle for a check, but the passenger, a 17-year-old, attempted to get rid of a purse by throwing it out the window.
The purse was promptly recovered by the officers and a sum of money equal to 15.000 euros was found inside.
While the operators were carrying out a thorough check of the two boys, another unit went up the country road and learned that a gun had just been fired in a nearby house. fraud to the detriment of two elderly spouses.
The victim, an 86-year-old woman, had previously been deceived by a phone call from an individual who presented himself as a Carabinieri Marshal. The so-called Marshal had convinced the woman that her son had recently caused an accident involving a woman with a small child.
By pretending that the child was in serious condition, the scammer had convinced theelderly victim who could have avoided reporting her son if she had immediately handed over her entire life savings to an accomplice who would shortly thereafter show up to collect them.
The accomplice, the 18 year old Napoli, showed up at the victim's house shortly after the phone call and, after receiving the money, fled in the car in the company of the 17-year-old.
The two young fraudsters were therefore taken to the offices of the Flying Squad of the Viterbo Police Headquarters, where the adult was arrested for fraud and placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Viterbo, while the minor was subjected to the measure of accompaniment following flagrante delicto with entrustment to his mother who arrived from Napoli.
Yesterday morning, the hearing was held at the Court of Viterbo, which validated the arrest of the adult in flagrante delicto with the application of the precautionary measure of the obligation to reside in the Municipality of residence.
The “Fake Accident” Scam
The “fake accident” scam is a very common technique used to defraud elderly or vulnerable people. The scammer shows up at the victim’s home and pretends to be a police officer, carabiniere, or doctor. He tells the victim that their child or other relative has had an accident and needs money to pay medical or legal expenses. The victim, taken by surprise, is persuaded to hand over the money.
Tips to avoid being scammed
Here are some tips to avoid being scammed:
Don't open the door to strangers.
If someone calls you claiming to be a police officer, a carabiniere or a doctor, ask them to identify themselves and call you on the emergency number.
Never give money to people you don't know.
If you think you have been scammed, report the incident to law enforcement.
Article published on 6 October 2023 - 18:42
