Shocking Calls Ticino Scam | Frontaliere Ticino
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Context
Shock call scams in Chiasso and Biasca, two arrests On March 9, the cantonal police of Ticino arrested two Polish citizens, a 50-year-old and a 38-year-old, residing in Austria and Poland respectively, for scams targeting elderly people committed in Chiasso and Biasca. The two suspects impersonated fake doctors and demanded a significant amount of money from the victims to cover the medical expenses of relatives suffering from a serious illness. According to the investigations, the scams occurred within a few hours, between the afternoon and evening of March 9. The first victim, a 75-year-old woman residing in Chiasso, received a phone call from one of the two suspects, who claimed to be a doctor at Lugano Hospital. The fake doctor informed the woman that her son had been involved in a road accident and needed urgent medical attention. The woman, in a state of panic, was convinced to hand over 15,000 Swiss francs to the suspect. Shortly after, another victim, an 82-year-old man residing in Biasca, received a similar phone call. The suspect claimed to be a doctor at Bellinzona Hospital and requested 20,000 Swiss francs from the man to cover the medical expenses of his daughter, who was allegedly hospitalized. The prompt reporting of the victims' families to the Common Alarm Center (CECAL) and the readiness of the patrols active in the territory allowed the police to intercept the two Polish citizens as they were leaving the area. The suspects were apprehended in San Vittore and the stolen goods were recovered. ⚠️ The 'shock call' scam is a type of scam that is widespread in Ticino and other Swiss cantons. It exploits the vulnerability of elderly people, often alone and isolated. Scammers impersonate doctors or other professionals and use persuasion tactics to convin...
Operational details
Shock call scams in Chiasso and Biasca, two arrests The modus operandi of the two suspects, a 38-year-old and a 50-year-old, matches that previously highlighted in its numerous variants. The authors took advantage of the limited time available and put pressure on the victims, inducing them to hand over the available money and assets kept at home. - In a specific case, a 75-year-old victim residing in Chiasso handed over approximately 15,000 francs to the scammers, who claimed to be representatives of an electricity company. - Another victim, a 62-year-old from Biasca, handed over over 8,000 francs following a shock call. The investigations conducted in recent months indicate their possible involvement in other cases that occurred in our canton and their belonging to a larger and more structured group. > According to estimates from the Federal Police Office (Fedpol), phone scams have increased by 25% compared to last year, with a total of 1,500 cases reported in Switzerland. The charges against the 38-year-old and 50-year-old are for repeated scams, as provided for in Article 242 of the Swiss Penal Code, which provides for penalties of up to 5 years' imprisonment and fines of up to 100,000 francs. The restrictive measure of liberty has been confirmed by the Judge of Coercive Measures (GPC). ## Operational checklist to avoid scams - Always verify the identity of the caller - Never provide personal or financial information - Do not hand over money or valuables - Contact the company or interested authority to verify the authenticity of the call - Report suspicious cases to the authorities immediately ## Comparison of practical scenarios ⚠️ Compared to other types of scams, such as those via email or SMS, phone scams are particularly insidious because they create a...
Key points
Shock call scams in Chiasso and Biasca, two arrests The cantonal police of Ticino have recently arrested two people in Chiasso and Biasca for scams linked to so-called 'shock calls'. These scams consist of a phone contact with the victim, often under the pretext of being a relative in difficulty or a bank official, in order to obtain money or sensitive information. ⚠️ The police recommend being always prudent and vigilant when receiving suspicious calls. It is essential not to hand over money or assets to strangers and to report suspicious calls to the Common Alarm Center (CECAL) immediately. ## Concrete examples of scams - A victim from Chiasso received a call from an individual who claimed to be her son, stating that he had been involved in a road accident and needed urgent money to pay bail. The victim was invited to go to a bank branch to make a transfer of 5,000 Swiss francs. - Another victim from Biasca received a call from a person who claimed to be a bank official, warning her of a supposed security problem with her account and asking her to provide her credit card number and PIN. ## Operational checklist to avoid scams > - Always verify the identity of the caller > - Never provide personal or financial information to strangers > - Do not make transfers or financial transactions at the request of a caller > - Report suspicious calls to CECAL immediately ## Regulations and amounts According to Ticino regulations, scams can be punished with penalties ranging from 6 months to 5 years' imprisonment and fines of up to 100,000 Swiss francs (Art. 146 CP). The entry into force of this regulation is January 1, 2020. ## Comparison of practical scenarios - Scenario A: A victim who hands over 10,000 Swiss francs to a scammer could find themselves with a significan...