Italian police thwart fraud scams targeting elderly in Siracusa and Latina

Police units of the Italian State Police intervened in two separate incidents to prevent fraud against senior citizens. In Siracusa, officers responded to reports of attempted scams on a 95‑year‑old and an 83‑year‑old woman; both attempts were foiled, although a third case resulted in the theft of family jewellery worth about €30,000 from another 83‑year‑old victim after the fraudster pretended to be a grandson. Investigations are ongoing to identify the perpetrators, and anti‑fraud campaigns continue across the province.

In Latina, police swiftly stopped a sophisticated telephone scam that aimed to have an elderly resident transfer €98,000 to a criminal account. The victim’s domestic worker alerted authorities, allowing officers to intercept the transaction at the bank, reverse it, and prevent the loss. The woman was escorted to the police station to file a complaint, and the investigation remains active. Both operations underscore the police’s call for seniors and their families to be vigilant, avoid urgent payment requests, and contact emergency number 112 when in doubt.