Italy Scams: Online, Tourist & Investment Fraud Guide
Common scams in Italy and how to report them via the Polizia Postale, AGCM, and your bank.
Emergency number: 112 (emergency), 113 (Polizia di Stato) — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Italy sees significant volumes of online fraud including phishing, smishing impersonating banks or the Agenzia delle Entrate (tax authority), fake online shops, and investment scams. Tourist areas are known for distraction theft, counterfeit goods, and overcharging practices. The Polizia Postale (Postal Police) is Italy's specialist cybercrime unit and operates the commissariatodips.it portal for online reports, and the AGCM handles consumer protection complaints.
The dominant banking scam is 'smishing plus vishing': an SMS that threads into your real bank's message history warns of an anomalous transaction, then a follow-up call from a fake anti-fraud operator — often with the bank's own number spoofed — persuades the victim to 'secure' funds with a transfer or to read out codes. Postepay and Poste Italiane customers are heavily targeted because of the sheer size of that user base. Classified-ad fraud on Subito and similar platforms hits both sides: fake buyers 'help' sellers collect payment at an ATM (a trick that actually sends money), and fake sellers vanish after a ricarica or transfer. Rental scams collect deposits for apartments that don't exist, especially around student cities.
Street-level, Italy's classics endure: the 'truffa dello specchietto' (mirror scam), where a driver claims you clipped his wing mirror and demands cash on the spot; fake or 'helpful' parking attendants; rose and bracelet sellers who demand payment after forcing a 'gift'; petition clipboards masking pickpocketing near monuments; and taxi overcharges at airports. Investment fraud favours clone brokers using the names of authorised firms, crypto platforms with fake celebrity endorsements, and 'wangiri' one-ring callback charges on phones. Consob's blacklists are worth checking before any investment. Report to your bank first when money has moved, then file a denuncia with the Polizia Postale or any commissariato.
Common scams
- Phishing and smishing impersonating banks or the Agenzia delle Entrate
- Fake online shops and non-delivery
- Investment and crypto fraud
- Business email compromise targeting companies
Tourist-specific scams
- Distraction pickpocketing at monuments and on public transport
- Rose or bracelet scams at tourist sites
- Overcharging restaurants (check for 'cover charge' additions)
- Fake taxi operators at airports
Online shopping scams
- Phishing emails impersonating Italian banks or Poste Italiane
- Marketplace and classified-ad non-delivery
- Rental deposit scams via fake listings
Job scams
- Task scams via messaging apps
- Fake job offers requiring upfront 'registration' payments
- Money-mule recruitment via 'financial agent' work-from-home ads
Romance scams
- Dating-app romance leading to cryptocurrency investment grooming
- Long-distance 'soldier' or 'doctor' personas requesting transfer fees
- Romance grooming with escalating emergencies and customs charges
Investment scams
- Fake trading platforms and clone broker firms
- Crypto and 'AI bot' investment schemes
- Clone firms abusing the names of Consob-authorised intermediaries
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank immediately if money was transferred
- Report cybercrime to the Polizia Postale at commissariatodips.it
- File a criminal complaint (denuncia) at any police station (commissariato)
- Report consumer fraud to the AGCM at agcm.it
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Call your bank straight away, using the number printed on your card or its official app, never a number or link given to you by whoever made contact. Italian banks can attempt to recall a fraudulent SEPA transfer most effectively within the first few hours, and an instant transfer makes minutes matter. Say plainly that you were deceived into authorising the payment, ask for it to be stopped and the receiving account reported, and request a reference number. Be specific if the scam involved a spoofed SMS in your bank's own message thread or a spoofed caller ID — Italian courts and the banking ombudsman (ABF) have repeatedly held banks liable where the fraud exploited the bank's apparent channels, so the details strengthen a reimbursement claim. File a denuncia and give the bank the report number. Ask about blocking or reissuing your card if details were shared, change your home-banking credentials from another device, and keep every message, including the SMS thread itself.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
What is the Polizia Postale?
The Polizia Postale e delle Comunicazioni is the Italian Police unit specialising in cybercrime, online fraud, and communications offences. You can report cybercrime online at commissariatodips.it or at a local Polizia Postale office.
How do I avoid restaurant overcharging in Italy?
Check the menu for 'coperto' (cover charge) and 'servizio' (service charge) before ordering. Request an itemised receipt ('scontrino') and compare it against what you ordered. Report unfair practices to the local tourist police.
Does the Agenzia delle Entrate contact taxpayers by SMS?
The Italian tax authority may send some communications by SMS, but it will never ask you to click a link to enter banking credentials or make an urgent payment. Treat any such message as a phishing attempt.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance