Another gang of elderly scammers has been exposed in Naples, Salerno, and Milan: 15 people under investigation.

Milan – The phone rings, a polite but agitated voice introducing itself as that of a police officer or a lawyer, the announcement of an accident involving a child or grandchild, the request for money "to avoid prison."

It's the hateful and now sadly notorious script of scams targeting the elderly. But behind that ritual, built on fear, trust, and manipulation, was a structured organization operating throughout Italy: a veritable "deception center," dismantled after months of investigation.

The State Police and the Milan Local Police, coordinated by the Milan Public Prosecutor's Office, carried out searches in the provinces of Milan, Naples, and Salerno. They investigated 15 people accused, on various counts, of criminal conspiracy to defraud the elderly.

Behind the criminal network was a well-oiled machine. Investigations by the Flying Squad and the Milan Prosecutor's Office's Anti-Fraud team have reconstructed the system in detail: calls to victims originated from two apartments in Naples, transformed into veritable telephone exchanges for the scam.

And when summer arrived, to avoid interrupting business, the suspects would all move together to a bungalow in a tourist village in the Salerno area, from where they continued to call the unfortunate victims while pretending to be on vacation.

Two, in particular, are the scripts staged with theatrical precision.

In the second scheme, the scam involved the "false nephew": the scammer would call pretending to be a relative in need, asking for help picking up a package or making an urgent payment. Then the story would get more complicated: "Mom and Dad have been detained at the police station; money is needed to free them." At that point, an accomplice would show up at the elderly person's home to collect the "necessary sum."

During the searches, investigators seized 40 cell phones, 5 tablets, €15 in cash, and numerous gold jewelry, believed to be the proceeds of the scams. Among those under investigation is a 73-year-old woman from the province of Milan, who was assigned to temporarily guard the stolen goods before transporting them to Naples.

Behind these stories are broken faces and voices. Victims, often alone, hand over their life savings to scammers. "It's not just a financial scam, it's a blow to the heart," explain sources from the Milan Flying Squad. "They exploit fragility, fear, and guilt. They strike where people feel safest: trust."

A ritual of deception that repeats itself from North to South with almost scientific precision. Every week, across Italy, hundreds of elderly people receive similar calls. And despite awareness campaigns and warnings from law enforcement, the scammers continue to strike. They change voices, cities, and phone numbers, but the act remains the same.

"These people destroy the serenity of our parents and grandparents," an investigator comments. "It's not just the financial loss: there's shame, loneliness, trauma. And for those who live alone, that call can permanently damage their trust in others."

The Milan investigation, now expanding to other regions, highlights a phenomenon that knows no bounds. Because defrauding the elderly isn't just a crime: it's a cowardly act that attacks the memory and dignity of an entire country.