Italy sees surge in bank‑transfer scams

Financial fraudsters in Italy are increasingly exploiting instant bank transfers (bonifico istantaneo) to steal money. Scammers create convincing stories, use fake bank operator identities and urgent messages to pressure victims into moving funds, often via WhatsApp messages that impersonate Autostrade per l’Italia and claim unpaid highway tolls. The police have issued an alert warning that these messages contain foreign prefixes, threatening language and counterfeit websites designed to capture banking credentials.

A recent case in Montefiore dell’Aso illustrates the method: a parish priest received a call from someone posing as a bank employee and, believing his account was at risk, authorized an instant transfer of €5,000 to an external account. The Carabinieri quickly traced the money, seized the destination account and identified four suspects, including individuals from Bari, Naples and a Pakistani national residing in Campania.

Authorities advise avoiding unsolicited payment requests, never clicking unknown links, and verifying any alleged toll or bank issues through official channels. Prompt reporting to banks and police can limit further losses.