LUCCA – A well-orchestrated scam, exploiting fear and trust, was stopped in time by the Carabinieri. Four people were reported following a complex investigation conducted by the Lucca police station, which uncovered a gang specializing in telephone scams targeting the elderly.
Those in trouble are a 49-year-old man, a 46-year-old woman, a 21-year-old – all residents of Naples – and a 56-year-old woman. Volla (Na), all already known to law enforcement. They are accused of conspiracy to defraud.
The events date back to last March, when a 73-year-old man from Lucca received a text message apparently from his bank, reporting an unauthorized transfer of €1.290. Alarmed, the man followed the instructions in the message and contacted the indicated number, only to find a so-called bank operator, with a strong Southern Italian accent, on the other end of the line, who convinced him that his account had been hacked.
Under pressure, the victim was persuaded to "secure" her savings with an initial transfer of approximately €5.000 to an account indicated over the phone. Furthermore, upon request, she also sent screenshots of her online banking via WhatsApp.
But the scammers' plan didn't stop there. Over the following days, with a barrage of increasingly pressing phone calls and requests, the elderly man was persuaded to go to a branch, withdraw cash, and top up a Postepay card six times, for a total of approximately €10.000.
Then, the twist: another phone call, this time from a fake Carabinieri marshal, warning the victim that his wife's account was also at risk. The woman, a 70-year-old retiree, was told the same story: a supposed investigation into a computer intrusion and the need to transfer the funds to "secure them." To reinforce the scam, the couple also received an email with a document on seemingly official letterhead. This was followed by two instant transfers of €22.500 each to a supposed "consultant," who was supposed to return the money once it was safe.
Only after the second transfer did the couple realize they had been scammed and contacted the Carabinieri. Thanks to the prompt intervention of the officers, in collaboration with the bank, they were able to block the first €5.000 transfer and return the sum to the victim. Subsequent investigations led to the identification of the four scammers and the freezing of an additional €7.500 in one of the accounts used for the fraud.
The Carabinieri reiterate their call for extreme caution: always be wary of suspicious messages, alarming phone calls, and requests for money. If in doubt, contact your bank directly or contact law enforcement immediately.
Article published by A. Carlino on July 25, 2025, at 12:47 PM
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