The first results are positive National campaign against scams against the elderly, launched by the Carabinieri on 10 July 2024, which saw the famous actor as its protagonist – as testimonial Lino Banfi, “Grandfather of Italy”The video, which quickly went viral, allowed the force to “enter the homes of Italians” to provide social reassurance, closeness and further strengthen the centuries-old relationship of trust between the Institution and the citizen.
The initiative, created to counter a phenomenon that is worryingly growing, has already achieved significant results a few months after its launch. The population over begin to recognize the deceptions.
In fact, the data provided by the Carabinieri Commands located throughout Italy show a concrete growth in telephone reports to the operations centers by the elderly. They are approximately 7.000 the telephone reports received from companies operating in the territory, of which approximately 2.500 since the beginning of the campaign. The reports, together with the investigative activities conducted by the Carabinieri departments, have allowed us to report over 40.000 people for scams or computer fraud and arrest more than 1.400 people1.
Among the scams carried out by criminals, the most widespread is the “fake Carabiniere scam”. By pretending to be personnel or collaborators of the Carabinieri over the phone, the criminals deceive elderly people, forcing them to hand over money and valuables. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 100 people have been arrested for this type of fraud. 200 people and almost all have been reported 3.000.
The modus operandi spread throughout Italy presents similar methods throughout the territory. victims are chosen at random, with random phone calls and then contacted by fake military personnel of the Carabinieri. The scammers trick the elderly by inventing alleged road accidents suffered by relatives: children, grandchildren, convincing them to pay sums of money, but also jewelry and watches to obtain the release of relatives. Or by showing up directly at the victims' homes with counterfeit badges, wearing baseball caps or bibs with the word "Carabinieri" to extort, even armed, money in cash and gold objects taking advantage of their state of solitude.
The constant information and proximity activity, carried out by the departments of the Territorial Arma, with particular reference to the Carabinieri stations that live in the communities on a daily basis, representing present and reliable points of reference, continues.
Among the specific activities of station commanders, in fact, we recall:
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training meetings with citizens, a useful circumstance also for the distribution of an information booklet on useful advice for preventing the criminal phenomenon;
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sharing information with bank and post office managers;
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collaboration with parishes, media outlets, associations and local institutions to raise public awareness of the phenomenon of scams against the vulnerable.
1 Data taken from the Police Forces Database.
