Elderly scams: Carabinieri appeal to family members: "An extra phone call can save your loved ones."

During the hottest weeks of the year, as cities empty for the summer holidays and the heat wave relents even at night, one of the most odious social evils regularly resurfaces: scams targeting the elderly. In Naples and throughout the province, criminals exploit the urban desert and the loneliness of those staying at home to carry out increasingly sophisticated and ruthless scams.

The lever of loneliness between heat and empty cities

The psychological mechanism used by criminals is well-established: it leverages trust, the sense of disorientation heightened by isolation, and, above all, the sudden anxiety generated by a supposed emergency. Whether it's the classic "fake nephew" in distress or the dramatization of an arrest or robbery suffered by a relative, the script aims to paralyze the victim's critical thinking, prompting them to hand over cash, family jewels, or personal codes within minutes.

Despite relentless information campaigns promoted by institutions and law enforcement, the trend of crimes against the so-called "vulnerable groups" continues to rise. The demographic, physical, and social vulnerability of many elderly people makes them ideal targets for criminal organizations skilled in psychological manipulation. Passive information alone is often not enough to curb the ingenuity of scammers.

The safety net: the key role of children and neighbors

For this reason, the Carabinieri of Naples have chosen to change their perspective, issuing a direct appeal not only to potential victims, but to those who live close to them. The message is clear: the first true barrier of defense is the presence of family and neighbors. A simple check-in call during the day, the willingness to verify an unusual phone call received, or the vigilance of a neighbor can make the difference between a foiled scam and profound trauma. To protect those who brought us into this world, sometimes all it takes is not leaving them alone with a phone.

An appeal especially to families: one extra phone call can make a difference.

Calling an elderly person who lives alone, especially during the hottest hours of the day, isn't just about checking in on them physically. It also helps reduce the isolation that can make it easier for a scammer to build trust and manipulate the victim.

A simple "How are you? Have you been receiving any strange calls?" can stop a scam before it's too late. One additional call can foil a phone scam.

If someone calls asking for money, jewelry, or personal information, there's only one rule: stop, take your time, and check.
Scams targeting the elderly continue to exploit simple yet extremely effective schemes. The scammer creates a sense of fear or urgency, prevents the victim from thinking, and offers an immediate solution, almost always accompanied by a request for money or valuables.

The Carabinieri are committed to combating this phenomenon on a daily basis, both investigatively and preventively, through awareness campaigns and meetings with the public.

The basic rule: no member of the police force asks for money or jewelry

This mechanism is common in many of the most common scams. A phone call, a text message, or a person at the door leads the elderly person to believe that something serious has happened to a family member. The scammer then demands immediate action.

But there's a simple rule to remember: Carabinieri and other law enforcement agencies never ask for money, jewelry, or other valuables to resolve a legal issue, avoid arrest, or "secure" their assets.

Scams at home and on the telephone.

The fake Carabiniere or the fake lawyer.
This is one of the most common schemes. A pretending soldier or a fake lawyer calls the victim, telling them that a child or grandchild has been involved in a car accident, has been arrested, or is otherwise facing legal proceedings. To avoid more serious consequences, a sum of money is needed immediately for bail, legal fees, or to resolve the situation. Shortly thereafter, an accomplice shows up at the home to collect the cash or valuables.

Phone number spoofing.
Technology can make the scam even more credible. Through spoofing techniques, a number seemingly linked to a Carabinieri station, police station, or other well-known office can appear on the victim's screen. The displayed number, however, does not guarantee the identity of the caller.

The fake jewelry robbery.
The self-styled Carabiniere reports that a robbery has been committed in the area and that a family member's car, license plate, or documents have been linked to the crime. To "exonerate" the relative, the victim is asked to collect gold and jewelry from the home, which a soldier will then collect for a supposed inspection or comparison with the stolen goods. The scheme has also recently been documented in Puglia: in one case, an 82-year-old woman was tricked into preparing her jewelry under this very pretext.

The fake nephew.
The call may begin with a seemingly innocuous question: "Guess who I am?" or "Do you remember me?" The goal is to prompt the victim to spontaneously say the name of a family member. The scammer then assumes that identity and claims to be in trouble, urgently requesting money or jewelry and explaining that they cannot come in person.

The fake technicians and the fake operators.
Supposedly employees of gas, water, electricity, or other companies show up at the door with the excuse of checking the meter. Once inside, they can distract the victim and steal money and valuables. The same mechanism can occur over the phone, with fake operators asking for personal or banking information for alleged refunds, contract updates, or line problems.

The "dancer scam": beware of WhatsApp messages.

Among the most recent scams is the so-called "ballerina scam," which uses WhatsApp to exploit the trust of family members and acquaintances. This scam typically occurs during the school year.

The message appears to be from a known person and contains a simple request: to vote for a girl or young woman participating in a dance competition who could win a scholarship. The message includes a link.

The problem arises when the victim clicks on the link and enters their phone number and the code received via SMS. This allows scammers to take control of the WhatsApp account. Once logged in, they use the victim's identity to contact family and friends, repeat the same message, and then make demands for money.

The scam is particularly insidious because the message may come from a contact already in the address book: simply recognizing the sender's number isn't enough to consider it safe. A recent case involved a 70-year-old woman in Salento, who, after clicking on the link and entering the code received via SMS, lost control of her account.

The rule is simple: don't click on the link and never share the codes received via SMS with anyone, even if the request appears to come from someone you know.

Scams outside the home

Distraction at the ATM.
A fake passerby offers to help the elderly person using the ATM, perhaps claiming that the machine isn't working or that the transaction needs to be repeated. While the victim is distracted, the thief can steal the money or steal the card and its details.

ATM tampering.
Some scams involve tampering with ATMs using devices designed to intercept card data or temporarily hold cash. If you experience any unusual behavior at the ATM, it's important to avoid accepting help from strangers and contact your bank directly.

Online romance scams.
The internet can also become a breeding ground for scams that last for weeks or months. In so-called "love scams," the scammer builds a romantic relationship through social networks or dating apps, gradually gains the victim's trust, and, once the relationship is established, makes requests for money related to alleged emergencies, health problems, travel, or financial difficulties.

The Decalogue for Self-Defense

1) Remember that law enforcement never asks for money, jewelry, or other valuables to resolve legal issues or avoid the arrest of a family member.
2) Do not trust the number displayed on your phone: it can be spoofed.
3) In the event of a suspicious phone call, interrupt the conversation and contact the affected family member or the police yourself.
4) Do not open the door to strangers, even if they claim to be technicians, public officials, or members of the police force.
5) Never give money, jewelry, or payment cards to people who come to your home following a phone call.
6) Don't tell the name of your family members to the caller by asking questions like "guess who I am?": always ask the person speaking directly.
7) Do not click on suspicious links received via WhatsApp, even if they appear to come from a known contact.
8) Never share codes received via SMS or WhatsApp access codes.
9) Before making any payment or handing over money, call a family member or trusted person and check the situation.
10) Report any attempted scam immediately to 1-1-2, even if the scam is unsuccessful: prompt reporting can be crucial to preventing further incidents and aiding investigative efforts.

Elderly scams: an analysis of an increasingly organized phenomenon: telephone operators, "couriers," and transfers to target victims.

From fake grandchildren to fake Carabinieri officers and lawyers: recent Carabinieri operations reveal a system based on the psychological manipulation of the elderly and, in some cases, on a veritable organization of roles.
Since June 1st, the Carabinieri in Naples have arrested 17 people for various scams, allowing for an objective analysis of the phenomenon.

It's no longer just the old "fake nephew" scam. The cases uncovered in recent months reveal a complex phenomenon, in which phone calls represent only the first step in a more complex process.

The script varies in detail, but remains based on the same trigger: fear for a family member. A child may be arrested, a grandchild is involved in an accident, a debt must be paid, or a legal matter must be resolved. Fake police officers, lawyers, grandchildren, or other family members appear on the phone. The victim is asked to quickly obtain money, jewelry, or other valuables.

In several documented cases, the phone call is just the beginning. In Sorrento, investigations have reconstructed a system in which a telephone operator contacts the potential victim while an accomplice travels to the home to collect the loot. In another operation, in Quarto, the Carabinieri discovered a veritable call center: 17 cell phones, a laptop, and 101 SIM cards were seized. The officers documented seven ongoing fraud attempts, as well as a previous scam involving an elderly woman for €18.

From the phone call to the front door. The scheme is particularly insidious because it constantly pressures the victim. In Piano di Sorrento, an 81-year-old woman, convinced her son had been arrested, collected €1.200 and traveled by train to Naples to deliver it to what she believed to be a lawyer tasked with resolving the situation. The intervention of the Carabinieri allowed them to apprehend the alleged scammer before he could escape with the money.

In other cases, the loot also includes jewelry, often with sentimental value even more than financial value. In Sant'Agnello, an 88-year-old woman was persuaded to hand over €500 and jewelry estimated to be worth between €12 and €15, including a wedding ring engraved with the date of her fiftieth anniversary.

In Piano di Sorrento, an 86-year-old woman handed over €5 and several pieces of jewelry to a man disguised as a woman, believing he was the person tasked with collecting the money for her son. The stolen goods were recovered and returned to the victim.

The “trips” to the islands.

The phenomenon also affects the islands, where the Carabinieri have documented incidents that demonstrate a planned nature of the activities.

In Ischia, two minors were reported before they could carry out a scam. Their phones contained addresses and points of interest saved on Google Maps; they also had a fake police badge and ID card with them. According to the Carabinieri, an 85-year-old victim had already prepared approximately €6 waiting for the person to collect it.

In Procida, a 32-year-old man was arrested after a scam involving approximately €8 and jewelry from an 81-year-old woman. The man then allegedly attempted to blend in with the tourists by changing his clothes. Investigations also linked him to a scam that occurred the previous day in Capri.

In some incidents, the scam has degenerated into violence. In Ischia, an elderly couple, an 80-year-old woman and her 93-year-old husband, were persuaded to deliver a package containing 15 euros. When they demanded an explanation, the scammer snatched the package from the woman and threw her husband to the ground, who had intervened to protect her. The young man was subsequently apprehended by the Carabinieri and the money was returned to the owners.

Prevention can break the script.

Alongside arrests and reports, there is also the importance of prevention.

In Sant'Antimo, a 74-year-old woman refused to hand over the requested €1.900 because she knew the scammers' methods, thanks to awareness campaigns.

In Sorrento, however, a daughter caught on to the scam, pretended to be her elderly mother, and recorded the conversation with the scammer, providing investigators with useful information to reconstruct the scheme.

The message emerging from the investigations is therefore clear: awareness of the phenomenon and immediate involvement of family members can make a difference. An unexpected phone call, especially when used to instill fear and urgently request money, must be verified without following the caller's instructions.

Recent operations highlight a phenomenon that continues to be combated daily by law enforcement, but also demonstrate how crucial it is to not abandon the elderly and to continue to inform potential victims about the mechanisms used by scammers.