A sophisticated scam, based on fake calls and text messages, stole nearly €120,000 from the account of a 73-year-old woman from Lanusei. This is what happened to the woman who, believing she was collaborating with the Carabinieri to stop a bank fraud, instead transferred the "loot" to the real perpetrators of the scam. Thanks to the subsequent complaint, the police identified the alleged perpetrators : a 41-year-old and a 24-year-old resident of the province of Caserta, and a 58-year-old from Naples , all charged with aggravated fraud . The investigation also led to the recovery of €30,800, which will be returned to the victim.
It all began on the morning of August 13, 2025, when the woman received a text message apparently from Nexi, reporting a €990 transaction she didn't recognize. The message included instructions for canceling the transaction, including a contact number. The 73-year-old, suspicious, called that number and spoke to a fake operator, who confirmed the alleged fraud and advised her to contact law enforcement.
A few minutes later, the victim received a call from a number identical to that of the Carabinieri Operations Center in Lanusei, spoofed using the insidious technique of "caller ID spoofing," which allows the victim to simulate official numbers. A man, posing as a Carabinieri officer named Giuseppe, gained the woman's trust and convinced her to go to the bank to make three urgent transfers to "Findomestic" accounts, totaling €119,800. Only later did the 73-year-old realize she had been scammed and file a complaint with the Carabinieri.
(Unioneonline/vf)
