An 85-year-old woman in Mappano, near Turin, has successfully foiled a scam attempt for the second time, playing a key role in the arrest of a 41-year-old suspect.
The scheme began with a phone call from a man posing as a doctor from Turin’s Molinette Hospital, who claimed that the woman’s son was seriously ill and urgently needed an expensive operation. To cover part of the supposed €120,000 cost, the caller asked her to hand over gold and jewelry.
Sensing something was wrong - particularly since she has no sons - the woman immediately contacted her daughter, who alerted the police. Acting on instructions from officers, she pretended to go along with the scam in order to buy time and allow authorities to intervene.
Shortly afterward, a woman arrived at the house to collect the valuables. As soon as she took possession of the items, police officers who had been waiting inside the home stepped in and arrested her on suspicion of aggravated fraud.
A search revealed additional jewelry, a watch worth an estimated €15,000, and €350 in cash, believed to be proceeds from similar scams. Investigations, coordinated by the Ivrea public prosecutor’s office, are ongoing.
The incident marks the second time the elderly woman has helped stop a fraud attempt. In February 2024, she similarly outmaneuvered scammers, leading to the arrest of an 18-year-old suspect.