Italy Ministry of Health phishing scheme lures citizens with fake refund offers

Authorities warned that a coordinated phishing campaign is exploiting the name of Italy's Ministry of Health to trick users into providing personal and banking details. The fraud uses emails, SMS and WhatsApp messages that appear to come from ASL, INPS or other health agencies and promise a cash refund that the victim must claim online.

The scam has been reported primarily in the Umbria region, with dozens of complaints from residents of Perugia, Terni and surrounding provinces. Victims who click the fraudulent links may suffer identity theft, account draining or the sale of their data on the dark web. Officials advise people to verify any refund claim only through official Ministry or regional health portals, avoid clicking unknown links, and report incidents to the police or their bank immediately.