The 'base' was in Forcella, the hometown of the two leaders of the gang of elderly scammers who operated throughout Italy and who were dismantled this morning thanks to an investigation launched in Genoa.
Alberto Macor 'o mast and Mariarca Mastroianni, the boss, decided everything. The pair oversaw every detail of the scams, from logistics to identifying B&Bs for the "travelers" who left Naples to reach the targeted areas. Contact between the "telephonists" and the "travelers" took place through older cell phones or smartphones registered to third parties.
The Macor family has been at the center of the Naples news on several occasions, most recently the illegal occupation of the premises of the Church of San Biagio ai Taffettanari, which culminated in their eviction and threats to the MP Borrelli who had raised the case.
The gang operated throughout Italy targeting elderly people. Phone calls with fake lawyers and fake Carabinieri marshals, whose goal was to have them hand over jewelry and money. There are 29 suspects who have been the recipients of precautionary custody measures issued by the investigating judge of Genoa and notified in Naples and the province, but also in Turin and Caserta, by the real Carabinieri, those of the Provincial Command of Genoa.
The suspects are all originally from Naples and must answer for criminal association aimed at defrauding the elderly with an overall illicit profit of over 700.000 euros.
Twenty-one ended up in prison
The investigating judge ordered 21 to be jailed, five to be placed under house arrest, and three to report to the judicial police. The investigation is being called "October 5nd," in honor of Grandparents' Day, given the advanced age of the victims. Over 3 Carabinieri officers from the Provincial Commands of Genoa, Naples, Turin, and Caserta were involved in the notification of the measures.
The modus operandi
Victims were contacted by phone by self-styled Carabinieri marshals or lawyers who, under the pretext of a car accident caused by a relative, demanded large sums of money to avoid the relative's arrest. The psychological pressure was such that the elderly were forced to hand over their money and jewelry to the scammers.
The fake marshal/lawyer informed the victim that within a short period of time a person (a fake policeman or the lawyer's assistant) would reach the victim's home to collect the money/valuables.
The operator, until the "courier" had collected the money, continued to talk to the victim on the phone, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation and the short time available to resolve the situation.
This way, they were able to gain complete psychological control over the victim and their actions, thus preventing the victim from having telephone contact with friends and/or relatives who, if informed of the situation, could have thwarted the collection of the stolen goods and informed the real police.
The "travelers" moved from Naples with rental cars and trains
The Carabinieri verified that, for travel, in addition to trains and taxis, the travellers often used cars rented from compliant agencies located in the Naples area.
The connection between the “telephone operators” who call from Naples and the “travelers” occurs through old-generation dedicated cell phones, with numbers registered to untraceable non-EU citizens, or by using smartphones in combination with numbers registered to “blockheads”, communicating only through social networks and various chats.
The scam began with "filter calls", that is, very short phone calls to landlines in the area, which the promoters decided to target for that day. These calls, usually made by two members of the organization, such Vittorio De Filippo and Gabriele Fabiano, had the sole purpose of identifying in advance the utilities used by the elderly or those still active among the innumerable utilities available.
These calls are very short, the time needed by the scammer to understand if the voice belongs to an elderly person. After this screening among the countless numbers targeted, it is assessed whether it is appropriate to continue with the execution of the scam, giving the number to one of the two promoters who manage the next phase by pretending to be a Marshal of the Carabinieri and a Lawyer.
An additional accomplice acts as a connector between the “telephone operators” and the “traveller” who is already in the cities/towns chosen as targets.
Here's how the phone calls to the victims were made
The voice was that of a young, kind woman: "Hello, it's the post office." But immediately afterward, the psychological pressure began on the elderly victim. "Your granddaughter was in a minor car accident," a phrase that triggered anguish. And without ever breaking the suspense, the scammers' "target" was immediately passed to the "carabiniere," who announced in a telegraphic tone that the grandson or son had hit a woman, that the injury was serious, and the only way to avoid arrest was to "pay compensation, pay compensation, pay compensation," a word repeated over and over again.
"I'll put you on the line" with the lawyer, with the marshal, the female voice kept repeating, with the intent of ensuring that the elderly man never hangs up, perhaps to call relatives. And it also happens that the woman calling makes sure the person answering is alone in the house, asking explicitly.
Or maybe she's mistaken and says her son is in danger, but when the other elderly woman explains, "I don't have a son," she regains control of the situation by explaining that she was in "a minor car accident" anyway; she doesn't hesitate even when another victim surprises her by responding, "What, the post office?" in disbelief. "No, I said... the traffic office... he's crying like a baby, he's terrified," the scammer says, diverting the elderly woman's attention and appealing to her deepest feelings.
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Comments (3)
It is incredible how these scams can happen so systematically. It is important that there are more protection measures for the elderly, as they are often the most vulnerable. The authorities need to do more.
It's true, it's not clear how it's possible that there are so many people under investigation and yet many elderly people continue to fall for these scams. They should be better informed about these risks.
It would be helpful to have information campaigns to help people recognize these scam attempts. Prevention is key, especially for older people who may not be familiar with these techniques.