A carefully planned scam, designed to strike at the most vulnerable moment: the fear of a wounded child. This is how a man defrauded an elderly woman from San Mango Piemonte, in the province of Salerno, stealing cash and gold items estimated to be worth over 11 euros. The incident dates back to January 6, but the alleged perpetrator has only now been placed under house arrest, by order of the investigating judge of the Court of Salerno. Salerno, carried out by the Carabinieri of the San Cipriano Picentino station.
According to the investigation coordinated by the Prosecutor's Office, the victim was contacted by phone using the usual fake car accident scenario: on the phone, the excited voice spoke of a serious accident involving her son, causing her to panic and convince her to hand over her belongings to a self-styled agent. To complete the scam, the woman's husband was also called: this time, the trap was set by the fake Carabiniere, used to lure him out of the house and leave the elderly woman alone, making her more vulnerable and easily manipulated.
A tried-and-true and odious technique, it exploits parental love and trust in institutions to target the most vulnerable victims. But thanks to the timely investigative efforts of the Carabinieri, the alleged perpetrator of the scam has been uncovered. Now, under precautionary measures, he will face charges of aggravated fraud.
Article published by Vincenzo Scarpa on July 29, 2025, at 16:15 PM
Comments (1)
It's incredible how certain people can take advantage of the vulnerability of the elderly. This woman's story is truly sad and makes us reflect on how easy it is to fall into such traps, especially when it comes to family members.