Swindling the Elderly in Italy

The book L’Italia che truffa (The Italy That Swindles) reported an elaborate scheme conjured up by swindlers in Italy to fleece the elderly of their precious savings. In 1993 a government led by the ex-governor of the Bank of Italy was formed. His signature, of course, appeared on bank notes (obviously still valid) that had been issued during the period of his governorship. After presenting themselves at the doors of elderly people, a number of swindlers, who identified themselves as officials of the Bank of Italy and who carried counterfeit ID cards to prove it, said to each of their victims: “You know that the governor of the Bank of Italy has become the president of the Cabinet of Ministers; therefore, his signature that appears on bank notes is no longer valid. We have the responsibility of collecting all the old bank notes from the various families and replacing them with new ones signed by his successor . . . Here is a receipt. Go to your bank with this document the day after tomorrow, and you will receive the sum of money that you have handed over to us now.” By means of this scheme, the swindlers collected 15 million lire (about $9,000) in one day!

Some swindlers in Italy contact the incautious, including the elderly, along the streets. They ask the unwary to take part in a survey and give them sheets of paper to sign, saying that their signature is simply to confirm that they participated in the survey. In reality, they are signing a contract that obliges them to do or buy something.

Then, sometime later, the victim receives in the mail a package containing certain goods, perhaps with a warning clearly visible on the wrapping that should the goods be refused, he will be penalized in some way. Some, particularly the elderly, become frightened, thinking that it would be better to pay a relatively small sum and keep the goods that are of little value than to face being dragged into court.

How widespread is swindling in Italy? According to L’Italia che truffa, the number of swindles that are reported amount to some 500,000 a year. At least three times as many swindles go unreported. One TV journalist commented: “The total is about two million traps of all kinds every year, or something like five to six thousand a day.”

In Italy religious swindling has a novel twist: Some priests have been swindled by scam artists posing as devoted Catholics. The swindlers exploit the Catholic tradition of paying for requiem Masses for some deceased person. How do they do it? The Catholic magazine Famiglia Cristiana explains that the tricksters offer to pay in advance for a dozen requiem Masses with a phony check that is made out for a much higher amount than is asked. They deceive a gullible priest into giving them the difference in cash. The swindlers get the cash, and the priest gets a check that bounces!