Italian consumers hit by smishing scams impersonating Deutsche Bank and Nexi

A Deutsche Bank customer in Italy lost nearly €36,000 after receiving a fraudulent SMS that appeared to be from the bank. The message prompted the victim to call a fake anti‑fraud line, leading to unauthorized instant transfers. The Italian consumer association Codici intervened, and the banking ombudsman ordered a full refund.

Separately, Italian users have reported a smishing message that mimics a Nexi notification about a €899 charge from Booking.com. The text urges recipients to call a bogus support number or follow a link to a counterfeit site to steal personal and banking data. Authorities warn that the scheme is part of a broader wave of SMS‑based fraud targeting Italian consumers.

Both incidents illustrate the growing use of smishing in Italy, where criminals impersonate reputable financial services to extract money and credentials from unsuspecting victims.