Italy utility scams affect 2.9 million people

An investigation commissioned by Facile.it and conducted by mUp Research reveals that 2.9 million people in Italy were victims of attempted or successful electricity and gas bill scams over the past year. The total economic damage is estimated at nearly 650 million euros.

While the number of victims has decreased by 27% compared to 2023, when 4 million people were affected, fraudulent methods remain diverse. The most common tactic is the use of fake call centers, accounting for 68.2% of cases. This is followed by fraudulent emails (24.9%), door-to-door schemes (12.9%), instant messaging apps (9.5%), and social networks (6%).

Contrary to common assumptions, younger demographics are disproportionately affected. The incidence of fraud is 9.1% for those aged 25-34 and 10.1% for those aged 35-44, compared to a national average of 7%. Additionally, individuals with university degrees show an incidence rate more than 50% higher than the average.

Approximately 59.2% of victims choose not to report the crimes. Primary reasons for not filing a report include the perceived low economic value of the loss (36.1%), the belief that funds cannot be recovered (22.7%), feelings of embarrassment or naivety (16.8%), and a desire to keep the incident from family members (4.2%).