Rome, 18 scams targeting seniors: 3 Neapolitans arrested

I Carabinieri in Rome have dealt a serious blow to the phenomenon of scams targeting the elderly, arresting three men from Naples, believed to be the agents of gangs specializing in defrauding vulnerable individuals.

The operations, conducted in collaboration with the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office, led to the execution of several pre-trial detention orders.

In an operation conducted in Naples, the Carabinieri of the Rome Porta Portese Station executed a precautionary custody order against two men, aged 32 and 41. They are seriously suspected of crimes of fraud and extortion against the elderly, with a total of 18 criminal episodes committed in Rome between December 2022 and February 2023.

The two suspects had already been subject to a precautionary measure for other frauds committed in the province of Latina in 2023. The investigation, coordinated by the Rome Public Prosecutor's Office, began in December 2022 following a complaint from one of the victims and concluded in October 2023. Through the analysis of telephone and internet traffic data, bank checks, and the acquisition of images from video surveillance systems, it was possible to reconstruct their modus operandi and the specific roles of each.

Proven modus operandi: from the "fake nephew" to bank withdrawals

The gang used a well-rehearsed system to gain the trust of its victims, all elderly people between the ages of 80 and 93, often with medical conditions or physical conditions that limited their ability to react. The most common ploys included the "fake nephew in financial difficulty" (due to unpaid bills or following road accidents) or the "fake lawyer or law enforcement representative."

Once they gained their trust, the scammers entered the victims' homes, demanding cash, jewelry, and even ATM cards with their PINs. In some cases, they made direct withdrawals from the victims' bank accounts, totaling approximately €4.000. The investigation established an estimated turnover of approximately €400.000.

A third man arrested in connection with scams involving Rome, Udine, and Pordenone.

As part of the same enforcement operation, Carabinieri officers from Rome's Porta Portese station, in collaboration with their colleagues from Naples' Quartieri Spagnoli station, located and arrested a third man, a 40-year-old, also from Naples. The man had already been subject to a precautionary measure for several months and had been missing since May.

He is seriously suspected of aggravated fraud and extortion against the elderly, for a total of seven criminal incidents, which occurred in Rome and the provinces of Udine and Pordenone, between March and May 2024.

The investigation, launched in late March 2024, has gathered significant evidence through the acquisition of telephone and internet traffic data, the analysis of video surveillance images, and cross-referencing the descriptions provided by the victims. The value of the stolen goods in these cases is estimated to be approximately €300.000.