Reggio Calabria: Operation “Game Over”, Carabinieri bust scammers targeting elderly people

A decisive blow against elderly scammers

This morning, the Carabinieri of the Provincial Command of Reggio Calabria, with the support of the military of the Provincial Commands of Genoa and Caserta, have dealt a heavy blow to a criminal gang specializing in scams against elderly people.

The operation, called “Game Over“, brought to the arrest of three people - a 40 year old man and his two 20 year old sons, all residents of the Caserta area.

The suspects were arrested in different locations, between Genoa and Castel Volturno, thanks to a precautionary custody order issued by the GIP of Locri, at the request of the local Public Prosecutor's Office directed by Dr. Joseph Casciaro.

The gang's modus operandi

The gang, well organized, acted exploiting the vulnerability of elderly people aged between between 75 and 81 years, through the so-called "Carabiniere scam”, a cruel and ruthless scam.

The plan involved a phone call, in which a fake Carabiniere or Lawyer communicated to the victim a false emergency, claiming that one of their family members had been involved in a serious road accident and was under arrest.

To avoid the arrest of their relative, the victims were induced to hand over large sums of money or jewelry.

Subsequently, an accomplice showed up at the victim's house to collect the loot, taking advantage of the state of anxiety and confusion generated by the fake emergency.

Police investigations

Le investigations conducted by the Carabinieri of the Bovalino Station (RC), with extreme care and meticulousness, have brought to light a well structured and organized modus operandi.

To identify those responsible for the illegal conduct, the military personnel of the Arma conducted a meticulous and timely activity, focused on the analysis and cross-referencing of different data. This work included examining images from both public and private CCTV cameras, acquiring and analyzing GPS tracks from rental cars used by the suspects, and studying their cell phone traffic records. Every movement of the suspects was precisely monitored, allowing the path of the three subjects to be traced during their movements from the city of residence to the places where the frauds were committed.

The military personnel of the Arma managed to trace the telephone numbers used to contact the victims, discovering that the cell phones used were registered to foreign persons, a detail that the gang exploited to complicate the investigations and mislead possible checks. The phones were often replaced to avoid leaving traces, but this stratagem failed to elude the Carabinieri's investigations.

The scams carried out between January and June 2024 followed a similar pattern: after the phone call that threw the victim into a panic, the criminals, coordinated with each other, acted quickly and precisely. Thanks to the meticulous monitoring of the military of the Arma, it was possible to connect the various criminal episodes, highlighting a well-oiled system, which repeated the same pattern with few variations, but with incredible effectiveness.

The investigations have ascertained that during the investigation period the gang stole from the victims about 70 thousand euros, including cash and valuable jewelry. However, thanks to the immediate intervention of the Carabinieri, a significant part of the stolen goods was recovered and returned to its rightful owners. The coordination between different territorial departments of the Carabinieri also made it possible to follow the gang's movements from one region to another, until the members were captured between Genoa and Castel Volturno, thanks to the precautionary custody order issued by the GIP of Locri, at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office.

The fundamental role of victims

Fundamental to the success of the operation was the collaboration of the victims. Despite the strong shock suffered, many elderly people they found the courage to report the facts, providing valuable details that facilitated the investigation.

Their testimony allowed the Carabinieri to reconstruct the gang's movements and act promptly to stop the culprits.

The Arma's commitment against scams against the elderly

Operation “Game Over” represents just one of the many initiatives implemented by the Carabinieri to combat the growing phenomenon of scams against the elderly, a social plague that is taking on worrying proportions throughout the country. Protection of the weakest sections of the population, and in particular of the elderly, is one of the main priorities of the Force. For this reason, measures are implemented daily basis a series of strategic measures that include preventive, informative and repressive activities.

On a preventive level, the Carabinieri carry out awareness campaigns targeted, often in collaboration with local authorities and associations, to inform the elderly about the dangers of scams and the most common methods used by criminals. These meetings are held both in presence, at senior centers and parishes, both through digital channels, with the aim of spreading practical advice and suggestions for recognizing the signs of a possible scam.

Status of investigations

At the moment, the proceedings are in the preliminary investigation phase. As established by law, those arrested are to be considered innocent until a final conviction.