Fraud against the elderly: Carabinieri vademecum to defend against the most common scams

Example: scammers call the victim on the phone, starting the conversation with trick phrases such as "Guess who this is!" or "Auntie/uncle, do you remember me?". In this way they try to catch the name of a relative or acquaintance. Pretending to be this person, they tell them that they urgently need money for serious reasons, but that they are unable to pick up the money. If the victim accepts, the interlocutor tells them that a friend will shortly come to the house to collect the money or invites the victim to make a transfer to their account.

The advice: here too, one should be wary of appearances; never open the door to strangers; do not trust the ID card alone (it is not enough!); limit confidence on the phone: in the case of people who present themselves as relatives and ask for money, one should take your time and call the 112 single emergency number or a relative.

Example: the fraudster presents himself at the victim's home posing as a representative of a utility company (water, electricity or gas), informing the victim of new and more advantageous contract conditions. With this ruse, the perpetrator gains the victim's trust in order to collect his data, which is then used to open new contracts in his name but without his consent.

Advise: Be wary of appearances; never open the door to strangers; do not trust the ID card alone (it is not enough!); contact the supply company at the telephone numbers on the bills (do not call telephone numbers provided by the stranger at the door); do not sign anything and always seek advice from more experienced trusted people.

Example: The fraudsters, disguised as water or gas technicians, present themselves at the victim's door reporting that there is a serious problem at home that needs to be solved immediately. Exploiting the victim's anxiety and concern, the fraudsters urge the victim to protect their valuable possessions from potential gas leaks or other threats by placing them safely in a bag inside the freezer, which they then cleverly steal.

Advises: Be wary of appearances; never open the door to strangers; do not trust the ID card alone (it is not enough!); contact the supply company. If you have let strangers into your home, do not be distracted and, without losing your temper, firmly invite them out. Remember that no utility or company sends its employees on home visits to collect payments. All utility companies (gas, electricity, water and telephone) always announce their arrival with notices to the condominium, communicated long in advance.

Example: the fraudster contacts the victim by telephone, posing as a call centre. The fake operator asks trivial questions to induce the victim to answer with a 'yes', which is then extrapolated and used as a form of consent for the activation of a new supply contract. The victim becomes aware of the scam upon receiving the first bill.

Advise: Be wary of appearances. If you do not understand the identity of the caller, you should ask questions and avoid answering by giving personal details. In the case of an unsolicited contract or activation, send a written complaint to the provider by registered letter or pec. Limit your confidence on the phone: in the case of people who present themselves as relatives and ask you for money, take your time and call the relative who claims to have contacted you, to verify that he or she has actually done so, or the single emergency number 112.

Example: is so-called 'spoofing'. The fraudster contacts the victim through a fake call centre using, thanks to special computer programmes, telephone numbers corresponding to the toll-free numbers of banking institutions. Having gained the victim's trust and obtained access credentials to the current account, he proceeds to move the money to special accounts with virtual cards.

Advise: do not share personal or bank account details over the phone; limit your confidence on the phone: if people ask you for money, take your time and call the single emergency number 112.

TRUFFLE OUT OF HOUSE

Example: the fraudster approaches the victim, suddenly hugging him and pretending to know him. He usually introduces himself as a friend of the children or grandchildren and engages the swindled person in a long conversation to distract him and make him think he recognises him. He tells him that he has accrued a debt to the bank or shady people and convinces the victim to give him cash or jewellery.

Tips: when going out, do not take large sums of money with you; when paying at the bar, do not show your money or valuables you are carrying; walk in well-lit areas with lots of people.

Example: the fraudster makes the victim in the car believe that he has unintentionally hit his car. The victim hears the sound of a sharp blow on his car body, usually on the side (actually caused by the fraudster using a rock or a stick). The fraudster asks the victim to see the damage and to pay a sum of money to avoid an insurance claim, using aggressive tones if necessary.

Advise: stay in the car without getting out of the vehicle; close the rear and passenger side windows to prevent any accomplices from stealing your personal belongings; call the local police or the single emergency number 112.

Example: this is known as 'skimming'. The fraudster alters the bank's ATM by installing a reader (called a 'skimmer') or a video camera and a fake keyboard to clone credit cards and store the typed data.

Tips: carefully inspect the ATM before using it, checking that nothing is different or abnormal; cover the keypad while typing the pin.

Example: is so-called 'cash trapping'. When withdrawing at the bank ATM, some banknotes get stuck in the dispenser. This is not a technical problem but a ruse by the fraudster, who has inserted a metal object into the dispenser and then returned to retrieve the banknotes.

Advise: stay in front of the ATM and immediately contact the bank's customer service or the single emergency number 112.