Italy sees surge in fake police scams targeting seniors

Across several Italian regions and the micro‑state of San Marino, criminals are impersonating law‑enforcement officers, municipal police, bank officials and even the payment network Nexi to defraud mainly elderly victims. In Macerata, a professional lost €52,000 after receiving a fake Nexi SMS and subsequent calls from a pretended carabiniere, who accessed his home‑banking remotely. In Molise, two incidents in March saw a repeat offender posing as a carabiniere seize about €10,000 from seniors, leading to the arrest of a repeat offender from Taranto. Florence police warned residents of a scheme where impostors posing as urban police claim to investigate cloned licence plates to lure victims away from their homes. Rome reported a rise in senior‑targeted scams, prompting the launch of 25 prevention courses, though officials question their sufficiency. On Ischia, a 32‑year‑old was detained after attempting a fake‑carabiniere fraud on a 77‑year‑old, with police using video surveillance to track his escape to a Naples ferry. San Marino’s Consumer Association alerted citizens to phone scams by fake gendarmi demanding money or valuables. In Valbormida, Carabinieri recovered €5,000 for two pensioners after a fraudster pretended to be a bank official. Authorities in each case have issued public warnings, urged verification of callers’ identities, and pursued arrests, highlighting a coordinated effort to curb the growing impersonation fraud targeting vulnerable citizens.