Naples Under Siege: Contactless Thieves Drain Bank Accounts with Hidden POS Devices
For Giuseppe P., a commercialist from San Giorgio a Cremano, the realization came subtly. A discreet vibration from his smartphone, a bank app notification: “Payment made: 50 euros, via POS.” No jostling, no suspicious contact, just a silent, almost elegant theft. This incident, occurring on Naples’ bustling Via Toledo, highlights a growing and alarming trend: contactless pickpocketing, or as some are calling it, ‘pickpocketing 2.0’.
The ease with which these thefts occur, often for amounts as ‘insignificant’ as 50 euros (the maximum allowed without a PIN), means many victims don’t immediately notice or deem it worth reporting. Yet, this seemingly small sum, multiplied across countless commuters and tourists, is generating a substantial illicit income for criminals, potentially reaching millions of euros annually.
The Modus Operandi: Invisible and Insidious
Unlike traditional pickpockets who rely on sleight of hand and physical distraction, these ‘contactless’ thieves operate with chilling efficiency and minimal physical interaction. Their arsenal consists of just two items: a smartphone and a portable POS device, connected via Bluetooth. They target crowded buses, metro lines, and narrow streets teeming with pedestrians, simply brushing past victims to activate a payment from their contactless cards, credit cards, or even smartphones.
Investigators have noted a concentration of these incidents in areas like Corso Umberto I, Piazza Trieste e Trento, Via Scarlatti, and Via Chiaia. The phenomenon is believed to be far more widespread than reported, with the police maintaining a ‘yellow’ alert level – significant enough to warrant public awareness, especially given the increasing reliance on contactless technology.
The Vulnerability of Convenience
The core of this vulnerability lies in the very convenience of contactless payments. A wireless chip stores card data, allowing payments to be processed by simply tapping a device against a reader, often without requiring a PIN for smaller amounts. This convenience, however, creates an open door for criminals.
It’s crucial to understand that this isn’t phishing or a Trojan attack; no fake links are involved, and cards aren’t being cloned. The payments are real, directly from the victim’s account, without their conscious consent. This makes everyone a potential victim, all the time.
Protecting Yourself: Expert Advice
Law enforcement officials offer practical advice to mitigate the risk. While phone-based payment systems are generally more secure due to activation requiring a deliberate action like a code, facial recognition, or fingerprint, physical cards are more exposed. The recommendation for those carrying physical cards is to use a shielded wallet, designed to block RFID signals and isolate the cards from unauthorized scanning.
The Investigation: Following the Digital Trail
Investigations into these crimes are complex, often resembling a digital chess match. Authorities are tracing the money, which frequently ends up on prepaid cards registered to foreign nationals, linked to anonymous SIM cards that keep the wireless POS devices ‘online’. Suspects are often linked to areas like Mercato and Vasto, with investigators believing foreign specialists may be involved. The possibility of criminal organizations benefiting from these illicit gains is also not ruled out, highlighting how, even as methods evolve, underlying criminal dynamics persist.
A Growing Concern: Echoes from the Past
This isn’t an entirely new threat. Last summer, Carabinieri in the Sorrento coast region also put a spotlight on contactless pickpocketing, with incidents reported in crowded bars and scenic promenades. A 36-year-old Peruvian citizen with a history of similar offenses was arrested after a theft in a central bar, found to be in possession of a pirated mobile contactless POS device. Videos circulating online further illustrate the global nature of this threat, with major tourist cities worldwide becoming targets.
The era of noisy, violent street crime is slowly being replaced by a more subtle, digital form of theft. The financial impact may seem minor to some, but the psychological toll of being robbed without even realizing it leaves a lingering sense of unease and vulnerability. As Naples grapples with this evolving criminal landscape, public awareness and proactive protection measures become paramount.
Source: https://napoli.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/26_febbraio_01/borseggiatori-2-0-a-napoli-un-pos-nascosto-in-tasca-per-rubare-solidi-dal-conto-corrente-grazie-ai-cellulari-aec8a063-e3a7-4d02-9518-1257c8207xlk.shtml
