A 32-year-old man was investigated in Catania for aggravated fraud after deceiving a 78-year-old woman, stealing 6,000 euros from her and draining her savings.
The woman, who had a minor accident in Picanello, was approached by the scammer who offered to repair her car through a “trusted” body shop in exchange for 300 euros.
The following day, the scammer demanded further payments, first posing as the owner of the body shop and then the mechanic, for a total of another 2,000 euros for non-existent damages.
The man did not stop there, convincing the victim of the possibility of obtaining a fictitious refund from the Revenue Agency, thus obtaining a further 700 euros and the woman’s ATM card, with which he made fraudulent withdrawals.
The scam emerged when the woman noticed the withdrawals and informed her son, who attempted to recover the car. The scammer continued to ask for more money to return the car, which was never taken to a mechanic.
The police intervened during the latest extortion attempt, arresting the man.
