He tried to trick a family by asking for bail to free an "arrested" relative, but he chose the wrong victim and ended up in handcuffs.
A 31-year-old man originally from Naples was arrested in Aci Castello, in the province of Catania, after attempting to defraud a retired Carabinieri officer.
The case began with a phone call to the former soldier's home number. Posing as a Carabinieri officer, the scammer claimed the victim's daughter had been arrested and asked for bail to "resolve the situation."
Suspicious, the man contacted his colleagues at the local Carabinieri station, who immediately recognized the modus operandi as a telephone scam.
With the help of the military, the victim maintained contact with the scammer, pretending to be willing to pay. Meanwhile, the Carabinieri organized an operation to unmask the man. During the phone conversations, the former officer feigned concern, negotiated the amount, and recorded some segments of the call, which were later handed over to investigators.
The scammer showed up for the meeting in front of the victim's home in a Fiat 500L, which turned out to be rented in Pompeii. The "deposit" requested? Two valuable watches. As soon as the 31-year-old attempted to collect the stolen goods, the Carabinieri, stationed nearby, stopped and arrested him.
By order of the preliminary investigations judge, who confirmed the arrest, the scammer was placed under house arrest at his home in Campania. The case is yet another demonstration of the importance of being vigilant against telephone scams, which are increasingly widespread and often targeted at the most vulnerable.
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