Garda Scammers Pose as Police to Trick Local Businesses

They pose as Carabinieri when making phone calls to hoteliers, shop owners, artisans, and restaurant operators in the middle and upper Garda area, offering subscriptions to magazines of the Arma.

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

How to recognize scams and how to react

They often propose subscriptions to nonexistent magazines or those unrelated to law enforcement agencies.

Therefore, be cautious and immediately notify the Carabinieri — simply dial 112 — at the first sign that you are being targeted by someone who, after taking the money, disappears.