A scammer based in the province of Fermo, who created fake social media profiles using stolen photos and data to defraud victims across Italy, has been apprehended. After years of perfecting his scheme, the individual was identified by the police. The Fermo Police Headquarters, led by Police Chief Luigi Di Clemente, has imposed a four-year special public security surveillance measure on him, which includes a total ban from all social media platforms.
The subject of the measure is required to remain at home from 8 PM to 7 AM, is prohibited from creating any new social media profiles or accessing existing accounts, and must report to the authorities weekly. The man faces a multitude of complaints from the Marche region and nearly every other part of the country, in addition to being convicted by 27 different courts throughout Italy.
Operating through social networks, the fraudster would contact shopkeepers, tobacconists, and other individuals—typically friends of the identity theft victims—to request phone top-ups, Money transfers, PaySafe cards, Amazon credit, and various vouchers. The victims believed they were helping an acquaintance. In some instances, the man impersonated vulnerable individuals, exploiting the empathy of his targets by fabricating stories of personal or health problems. When confronted by one of his victims, he brazenly stated that fraud was his job.