Scams run the web: from fake investigations to fake investment funds, here are the most common ones

The scam runs on the net, between social channels, phone calls and messaging services. The panorama is vast: it ranges from advertising an investment fund to fictitious judicial investigations, and ends with recruitment calls for a job that was never applied for. And there is no shortage of traditional 'bail' scams to be paid to avoid jail time for children or grandchildren.

Just these days, an e-mail arrived in several mailboxes with the sender 'FILE NO. A257', with the subject line two emoticons and the words 'judicial investigation' in capital letters. In the text is the message 'Communication of the judicial file', complete with greetings from the 'e-mail secretary'. The rest is contained in the attachment. A page with the Ministry of the Interior coat of arms at the top. The subject line reads 'Convocation of Justice, for the needs of a judicial enquiry'. The foreword announces that the addressee of the e-mail, but the name does not appear anywhere, is 'the subject of numerous judicial proceedings' in a field ranging from child pornography to exhibitionist acts.

Then the injunction: 'Please make your voice heard by e-mail by writing us your justifications so that they can be investigated and verified in order to assess the sanctions; this within a strict period of 72 hours. After this period, we will be obliged to send our report to the public prosecutor's office in charge of your case in order to establish a warrant against you. You will then be listed as a sex offender at the end of this procedure'. Not only that: the missive continues: "Your file will also be sent to the media for distribution to the general public in order to prevent you from reoffending and also to discourage other candidates for this practice. You are now warned." Then the logo of the Carabinieri, the stamp with the words 'Segretariato generale cooperazione carabinieri servizio posta' and that of Europol. It is a pity that the e-mail, written in a somewhat uncertain Italian and with some stumbling blocks, does not start from an institutional address but from 'rushado@hotmail.com', and that it has very little that is institutional about it.

It was a few weeks ago, however, that the 'stunt' on phantom investment funds was published. Specifically, a screen shot was relaunched on social media regarding a fake newspaper article, signed by a journalist of the newspaper, advertising an investment fund launched by a successful manager. It was a pity that newspaper and journalist had never dealt with the subject. Clicking on the link, after a few steps, opened a page in which to enter data and a credit card number.

In this panorama, there is no shortage of phone calls from numbers with a UK or Dutch area code. When answering, one hears a recorded voice saying: 'your CV has been selected' and announcing new opportunities for a new job (never applied for or sought). The voice suggests registering on whatsapp, sending a message and following instructions to provide a set of personal data. Cyclically, a message arrives by sms announcing the blocking of the account for transactions in Romania, or the now 'classic' 'mum I've lost my phone send me a whatsapp to this number'. Last month, a message arrived on several whatsapp users from a +62 prefix, Indonesia, promising earnings with little sacrifice: 'Hello. We need someone to evaluate hotel bookings. We will pay 200 - 1000 euro'. Then the explanation of the job: to like or rate. If you are interested, the message invites you to reply by pressing 1 and to contact an administrator at a number with an Italian dialling code.