Italy faces surge in diverse fraud and impersonation scams

Italy is facing a significant rise in various fraudulent schemes targeting both digital and physical environments. Law enforcement agencies, including the Polizia Postale and Carabinieri, have reported a surge in cybercrime, with over 51,000 cases handled in 2025 alone. Common tactics include online marketplace scams, fake job offers, and phishing attempts.

Elderly citizens remain particularly vulnerable to sophisticated social engineering. Reported methods include the “fake carabiniere” scam, where perpetrators pose as law enforcement via phone or video calls to extort cash and jewelry, and fake charity collections. In some instances, scammers pose as municipal workers or utility technicians to gain entry into homes.

In response to these threats, technological and community-based prevention efforts are emerging. Apple has introduced “Impersonation Risk Detection” in iOS to help identify potential social engineering attempts, though it requires manual activation. Additionally, community organizations are calling for increased vigilance and local support networks to protect vulnerable populations from these evolving criminal tactics.