The utility bill scams making headlines elsewhere have now reached San Marino. San Marino Rtv is drawing attention to the phenomenon, reporting that AASS (the Republic’s public utilities company) has already identified phishing attempts in which the company’s name and logo were used without authorisation to make fraudulent offers appear more credible.
The scam can take various forms: fake invoices, messages containing links to counterfeit websites, phone calls and requests for personal data, right through to one-time passcodes (OTPs) received by text message. The goal is to obtain sensitive information, extract money, or activate services and contracts that were never requested.
According to figures cited by San Marino Rtv, in Italy over the past year 2.9 million people are believed to have fallen victim to scams or attempted fraud involving electricity and gas accounts, with potential losses totalling nearly €650 million.
On Titano, should residents receive suspicious communications regarding water, gas or electricity, the advice is not to disclose passwords, codes or other personal data, and to verify directly with AASS through official channels, avoiding any links received via text message or email.
