Three people from Campania, two men and a woman, were reported by the State Police for two separate scams against elderly people, carried out in Rome and in the province of Lucca. The criminals, who had passed themselves off as carabinieri, had convinced the victims to hand over money and valuables, inventing stories of road accidents that had happened to their family members.
Investigations and arrests
Law enforcement reached the perpetrators thanks to two separate road checks that took place along the A1 motorway, in the stretch that connects Caserta to Naples.
First case: during a check, the officers stopped a car that was speeding southbound. Two people with criminal records were on board. During the search, the officers found a plastic bag containing gold objects and over 1200 euros hidden in the man's private parts. The investigation revealed that the money and valuables were the proceeds of a scam committed a few hours earlier in Rome against an elderly woman. In addition to handing over the goods, the woman had also given the scammers her ATM card and the related code, which the criminals had used to withdraw additional cash.
Second case: in a subsequent check, the Caserta Highway Patrol officers stopped a man living in Caivano. The man was found in possession of jewelry and cash, but was unable to justify their provenance. Investigations allowed him to be linked to a scam committed against an elderly woman in the province of Lucca.
Modus Operandi
In both cases, i Fraudsters they acted with the same modus operandi:
They contacted the victims by telephone, pretending to be policemen.
They made up stories of serious car accidents that had happened to their family members.
They convinced their victims to hand over money and valuables to “fix the situation”.
In some cases, like in the first case, they also obtained the victims' banking credentials to withdraw additional sums of money.
Complaints and advice
The three people were reported to the competent Public Prosecutor's Office for the crimes of fraud and false representation.
The episode is a warning to pay attention to this type of scams that, unfortunately, often affect older people.
Here are some tips to protect yourself:
Never give money or valuables to people you don't know.
Do not disclose your banking information to anyone, even if the person contacting you claims to be a carabiniere or another institutional figure.
If you receive suspicious phone calls, always verify the identity of the caller by contacting the Carabinieri directly or another trusted telephone number.
If in doubt, report the incident to law enforcement.
Article published on 3 July 2024 - 15:59
