Crema: scams targeting the elderly with the “fake child accident” technique

The phenomenon of scams against elderly people continues to frequently affect the Crema area and for these reasons, in recent months, the Crema Carabinieri Company had started a campaign to prevent the phenomenon with various meetings in the area with people belonging to the most vulnerable groups of the population to continue raising awareness on this issue and illustrate the main deception techniques used by criminals.

These important prevention activities carried out by the Arma on the territory have allowed us to achieve positive results because in the months of December and January the Operations Centre of the Crema Company was contacted by as many as 19 elderly people in the area who reported an attempted scam against them using the "fake road accident caused by their son" technique and they were able to promptly notice the scam thanks to the social initiatives promoted in the area by the force in which they had participated or which they had read about in the newspapers.

In particular, on the morning of December 6, the Operations Center of Crema had received about ten reports from elderly people living in Crema and on January 2, another seven elderly people from Castelleone had contacted the Carabinieri to warn them of what had happened to them shortly before. In all the episodes, the timely telephone report and the subsequent intervention of the Carabinieri patrol at the victim's home had prevented the scam from being carried out.

It is necessary to reiterate the tips to prevent the phenomenon: be wary of the appearance of those who, approaching you in a friendly manner and introducing themselves as a friend of relatives, ask for money or try to gain your trust, do not open the door to strangers, limit your confidence on the telephone or on the Internet, in crowded environments (for example, on public transport or at the market) do not get distracted to avoid the theft of money, check that the utility companies (gas, electricity, telephone, water) have actually sent their employees to check your home, when someone on the phone introduces themselves as a lawyer or member of the police force and asks for money to assist family members arrested or involved in road accidents, remember that requests of this kind are never allowed. In case of doubtful or unclear situations, it is necessary to call the emergency number 1-1-2 and request the intervention of a patrol.