Rome authorities issue urban bans for street scammers

The Rome Police Commissioner has issued six urban access bans (D.A.C.Ur.) against individuals involved in the “three bells” street scam near the Trevi Fountain. The targets are six Romanian nationals, aged between 21 and 56, who operated in the historic center, specifically around via della Stamperia.

The scam involves a clandestine street game where a croupier uses three bells and a ball to promise easy winnings. Accomplices disguised as bystanders simulate wins to lure tourists and passersby into betting money.

Following investigations by the Anti-Crime Division and the Carabinieri of Piazza Venezia, five of the individuals received two-year bans, while the sixth received a fifteen-month ban. These administrative measures prohibit the individuals from entering public venues and staying near them within the monumental perimeter of Rome's historic center.