Garda Scam Alert: Fake Police Calls Target Hoteliers and Business Owners

They pretend to be Carabinieri when making phone calls to hoteliers, shopkeepers, artisans, and restaurateurs in the middle and upper Garda area, offering subscriptions to magazines affiliated with the force.

They are not military personnel, but con artists who, from time to time, claim to belong to the finance police, the police, the fire brigade, or the municipal police.

How to recognize scams and how to react

They often offer subscriptions to non-existent magazines or magazines that have no relation to law enforcement agencies.

Therefore, be cautious and immediately inform the Carabinieri — simply dial 112 — as soon as you suspect you have fallen victim to someone who, after obtaining the money, no longer shows up.