From non-existent refunds to fake summonses to the barracks, scams do not go on holiday

From the fake Pay Pal refund, to the proposal of an advantageous investment, to the phone call summoning you to report to the barracks. Scams don't go on holiday and, especially at this time of year, scams against the elderly and frail people are on the rise again.

For some time now, e-mails have been arriving in mailboxes that apparently appear to be sent by Pay Pal. The subject line speaks of the right to a refund that has emerged from an audit of transactions carried out. The email suggests following the procedure that will then lead to the refund of sums that may even exceed one thousand euros. It is a pity, however, that the link does not refer to any official website, but to other portals where personal data is requested. A closer look at the email also reveals that it does not come from the official domain. It also happens that the same e-mail arrives to those who have not made any payment in the last year.

Then there is the whatsapp message sent by a +212 prefix saying that the courier tried to deliver a parcel the day before but nobody was at home. So an invitation to book a new delivery or to pick up the parcel, which was never ordered, at the nearest place. The procedure to follow is not the classic courier procedure, but asks you to reply with an S to the request and then asks you to update the message. In some cases, payment of a sum of money is also requested to unlock the delivery. Fake messages continue to arrive by text message, referring to suspicious transactions on one's account in Romania and inviting one to call the numbers indicated in the text messages or click on links.

However, there is no shortage of attempted physical scams. The latest is the one reported by the Rieti Finance Police as part of its activities to combat fraud against the elderly and frail persons. in these very hours, several citizens in the Province of Rieti are receiving telephone calls from a number that corresponds to that of the switchboard of this Provincial Command," the Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police) have announced in a note, "with requests, made by false members of the Guardia di Finanza, in some cases to present themselves at the offices of the Corps, in other cases with requests to possess any weapons or valuables held in the home, which would then be physically checked by other associates of the gang.

The aim, as reconstructed by the Gdf, was to leave the houses unattended by means of false summonses to the barracks in order to allow the thieves to act undisturbed. Hence, the recommendation to 'not follow up on these summonses, immediately alerting the public utility number 117 and notifying their relatives'.