Authorities Warn of Rising Online Scams Targeting Bank Transfers

Law enforcement authorities in Italy have issued warnings regarding a significant increase in financial scams that trick citizens into making unauthorized bank transfers. From fake e-commerce platforms selling automotive parts and heating fuel to sophisticated phone impersonations and compromised messaging applications, criminals are increasingly relying on instant wire transfers to steal money from unsuspecting victims.

In one recent case investigated by the Carabinieri, a 64-year-old pensioner living in Penna San Giovanni lost 1,220 euros after attempting to buy a refurbished vehicle engine online. The victim was contacted by someone posing as a company employee who sent a contract and persuaded him to make an instant wire transfer. After receiving the funds, the seller delayed delivery before cutting off all communication.

Investigators discovered that a 29-year-old woman from the Naples province had set up a fraudulent website, manipulated business registry documents, and substituted her own name to make the proposal appear legitimate. She has since been reported to judicial authorities for fraud and material falsehood.

In a separate incident in Castel Goffredo, a 37-year-old woman was defrauded of 9,600 euros after scammers used a technique known as spoofing to make the local Carabinieri station's phone number appear on her display. The perpetrators posed successively as bank operators and a military officer, convincing her that her savings were in danger due to corrupt bank employees and urging her to transfer her entire balance to a postal account.

Thanks to a complex investigation by local law enforcement and a preventive seizure order issued by the court in Mantua, the entire sum of 9,600 euros was successfully recovered and blocked. A 26-year-old man from Vico nel Lazio was reported in connection with the crime.

Authorities emphasize that neither police officers nor bank employees will ever ask citizens to transfer money or make wire transfers for security reasons. They also caution that caller ID displays can be artificially altered, and advise individuals to hang up and contact emergency numbers directly if they receive suspicious calls.

Meanwhile, messaging-based scams are also spreading, particularly in the Brindisi area, where cybercriminals take over WhatsApp accounts to ask contacts for urgent wire transfers under the guise of financial emergencies. The Postal Police recommend enabling two-factor authentication, verifying contacts through separate channels, and keeping devices updated to prevent unauthorized access.

Online marketplaces are also facing exploitation, notably through fraudulent websites offering discounted wood pellets ahead of the winter season. Victims across the country have reported paying hundreds of euros via instant wire transfers for goods that never arrive, with scammers frequently cutting off communication or demanding secondary payments for incorrect transaction descriptions.