Beware of dying widows, at least on the internet. An example of this is the case of a woman from Alghero who, in 2021, received messages on Instagram that were supposedly tempting. Signed by a certain Doran Winner whose health conditions were described as terminal, and who was also without a husband, ready to join him in the afterlife. And with an urgent need: to find peace by leaving 100,000 euros as an inheritance to an heir. And why not give them to the then 31-year-old, found on the web? Moreover, this woman, who is about to get married, thinks she has in her hands a stroke of luck of the kind that happens once in a lifetime, when they happen. But before receiving the coveted sum, the alleged widow tells her, a bureaucratic step must be taken: paying inheritance taxes.
And the dutiful Algherese makes one transfer after another, for a total of 20 thousand euros. Satisfied, Mrs. Doran tells her that, from now on, she will receive the practical details of the monetary transfer from a lawyer who immediately appears on WhatsApp, materializing through various telephone numbers. The contact person changes but not the refrain, the lawyer also wants money. At that point the 31-year-old realizes that she has been the victim of a scam and, assisted by lawyers Giacomo Baralla and Federica Petretto, reports everything to the police.
The investigations lift the black veil of widowhood, revealing behind the pre-funeral appearances a trio of alleged fraudsters from Cosenza, Ragusa and Campobasso, all sent to trial for fraud by the court of Sassari. There is no sign of widows reduced to a candle, perhaps looking for other prey on social media with which to prolong their existence.
