Elderly woman thwarts fake Carabinieri gold‑jewelry scam in Bari, Italy

In Triggiano, province of Bari, an 82‑year‑old resident received a phone call from impostors claiming a robbery involving her husband’s car and demanding she hand over her gold jewelry for comparison with the stolen items. She contacted her son and then emergency services, allowing real Carabinieri to intercept the fraudsters. Police arrested a 33‑year‑old woman from Caserta and her 32‑year‑old male accomplice from Naples, seizing the stolen jewels.

A similar scam unfolded on 3 June in Potenza Picena, where an 80‑year‑old woman was deceived into delivering gold worth about €7,000 after being told her son was detained by the police. After reporting the incident, the same two suspects were identified and charged with aggravated fraud.

Both perpetrators are now in custody, and authorities warned that police never request money or valuables to release detained relatives.