Italy foils multiple fake carabiniere scams targeting seniors

In Montieri, a small town in Tuscany, an elderly woman reported a suspicious phone call in which a caller pretended to be a carabiniere and said a police officer would inspect the couple's money and valuables. She went to the local Carabinieri station, prompting officers to intervene at the home; the suspects fled in a dark car.

In Rome’s Monteverde district, an 87‑year‑old woman received a similar call from a man posing as a carabiniere. After alerting her daughter abroad, police arrived and arrested a 39‑year‑old suspect from Campania on charges of attempted aggravated extortion.

A separate incident in Mantova involved an ultra‑80‑year‑old man who was persuaded by an impostor claiming to be a carabiniere to allow entry to his home, resulting in the theft of several thousand euros worth of jewelry. Police noted this was the third fake‑carabiniere fraud in Mantova within a month.

All three cases illustrate the growing “fake carabiniere” scheme targeting seniors, prompting authorities to remind the public that police, banks or public services never ask for cash or valuables at a doorstep and to contact emergency services if approached.