[REVISION HISTORY]

Italy fraud and phishing scams rise

Updated 6 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-09 06:44 UTC → 2026-09-10 14:44 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In late July 2026, Italian police warned of scams targeting job-seekers and the elderly. In early August, reports highlighted a surge in electronic card fraud during summer holidays. Investigations by mUp Research for Facile.it revealed that 2.9 million people were victims of attempted or successful electricity and gas bill scams over the past year, causing an estimated 650 million euros in damage. While victim numbers decreased by 27% from 2023, fake call centers remain the primary tactic (68.2%). Younger demographics (ages 25-44) and university graduates are disproportionately affected. Approximately 59.2% of victims do not report these crimes due to perceived low economic value, belief that funds are unrecoverable, or embarrassment. Law enforcement, including the Polizia Postale, has warned of increasingly sophisticated digital tactics. These include phishing via SMS and email regarding Agenzia delle Entrate invoicing, AI-driven Inps-themed identity theft requests, and deceptive messages regarding unpaid highway tolls. Criminals are also exploiting mobile payment apps like BANCOMAT Pay to send unauthorized requests. Physical scams persist, such as individuals posing as Carabinieri to extort money or targeting the elderly with false claims of vehicle damage. By September 2026, new data showed telephony fraud involving landlines or mobile phones reached 3.2 million victims, causing an estimated 731 million euros in damage. In mobile telephony scams, nearly one in four incidents occurred via instant messaging apps. Notably, the incidence rate for mobile scams reached 10.7% among 18-24 year olds, and university graduates were found to be more than twice as likely to be victims compared to the national average. In response to these trends, the municipality of Viadana has applied for a regional grant titled ‘Occhio alle truffe – Viadana sicura’ (Watch out for scams – Safe Viadana). Recent incidents further highlight evolving banking fraud tactics.

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