A 57-year-old individual has been referred to the Judicial Authority for fraud following an incident involving the online sale of a mini-excavator. The man, from Naples, allegedly defrauded a buyer who had paid a deposit for the machinery, which was subsequently never delivered. The investigation was initiated after the victim filed a complaint with the authorities.
Police investigation launched after victim’s complaint
According to the official portal of the State Police, the operation commenced yesterday when officers received a report from a citizen who suspected he had been a victim of fraud. The victim had attempted to purchase a mini-excavator through an e-commerce platform and had paid a significant deposit.
The modus operandi of the scam
The unsuspecting buyer had located the mini-excavator on a specialized website and contacted the seller. The seller reportedly appeared very helpful and provided precise information regarding the machinery. After confirming that the vehicle’s characteristics met his requirements, the victim decided to proceed with the purchase, transferring a deposit of approximately 1400 euros out of a total price of 4800 euros.
Failure to deliver and subsequent police action
After the expected delivery period passed and the buyer received no further communication from the seller, he turned to the State Police. Detectives from the Mobile Squad launched a thorough investigation, which led to the reconstruction of a solid evidentiary framework against the alleged perpetrator. The 57-year-old man, a native of Naples, was already known to law enforcement for similar offenses.
Identification of the suspect
The investigation successfully identified the alleged author of the fraud, who has a history with the justice system for analogous crimes. His case has been reported to the Judicial Authority, which will now evaluate the merits of the accusations brought against him. This article was prepared with the aid of artificial intelligence systems, followed by human verification and evaluation.
Source: https://www.virgilio.it/notizie/napoli-vende-un-mini-escavatore-online-ma-sparisce-dopo-l-acconto-denunciato-57enne-per-truffa/amp
