Naples – Two people were arrested by the Carabinieri of the Sorrento Company as part of an operation against scams targeting the elderly.
The suspects, recipients of a house arrest order issued by the GIP of the Court of Torre Annunziata at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office, are said to be responsible for a fraud against an 87-year-old woman from Sorrento.
According to investigators' reconstruction, on July 13th the victim was apparently tricked by a group of scammers , who, through a clever staging, induced her to hand over money and jewellery with a total value of over 15 thousand euros.
The modus operandi is the sadly well-known one
A first criminal contacted the elderly woman by phone, pretending to be a member of the police force, and convinced her that her daughter had been arrested following a car accident. To avoid detention, the woman would have to hand over all the money and valuables in her possession to a supposed lawyer who would shortly show up at her home.
A few minutes later, an accomplice showed up at the victim's door, posing as the lawyer, and took the money and jewelry. Only later did the woman realize she had been deceived and report the incident to the Carabinieri.
The investigation, conducted through the analysis of video surveillance footage and other investigative activities, led to the identification of the two suspects, now under house arrest. In the meantime, the search continues to identify the third, still unknown accomplice.
It is incredible how there are people who exploit the vulnerability of the elderly. The story of this lady is very sad and makes us reflect on how important it is to inform people about the risks of scams and how to defend themselves.