Statement by Palazzo Chigi on attempted scams using fake WhatsApp accounts

Over the last few days, attempts have been made to scam Italian entrepreneurs using fake WhatsApp accounts, arbitrarily attributed to Undersecretary of State to the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Alfredo Mantovano. The messages are designed to induce recipients to sign 'confidentiality agreements' or to send sums of money, asking them to financially contribute to non-existent government initiatives. In other cases, the goal is to obtain sensitive data and information from recipients, such as the handwritten signature of a company's top executive, which is subsequently used to trick employees or customers into transferring money.

This scheme follows a typical cybercrime pattern: contact requests formulated in a highly plausible manner, sent via instant messaging systems from accounts registered under false identities and featuring photographs of individuals with institutional roles. When the recipient accepts the contact request, an e-mail is then sent, typically containing an invitation to sign a confidentiality agreement or in any case instructions to keep the exchange going.
Information and investigative activities are underway, also following the police report Undersecretary Mantovano filed as soon as he became aware of his name and photograph being improperly used.