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Italian Choreographer Veronica Peparini Reports Phone Bank Scam

A dancer in a dark dress performing with long exposure motion blur
Photo by Ahmad Odeh on Unsplash

Veronica Peparini, a well-known Italian choreographer, has reported that she was the victim of a phone scam.

A phone scam is a trick where someone calls you to steal your money.

According to Peparini, the scammer managed to access her bank account and take most of her money.

She said she was left with only four euros in her account after the fraud.

A fraud is a dishonest act done to gain money or something valuable.

Peparini also revealed that the person who called her seemed to have recognised her identity.

She explained that she was left in shock after realising what had happened.

Shock here means a strong feeling of surprise and fear.

After the incident, Peparini decided to file an official report with the authorities.

A report is a formal statement given to the police about a crime.

She went further and shared the phone number of the person who had scammed her.

By doing this, she hoped to warn others and help prevent similar crimes.

A crime is an action that breaks the law.

Phone scams targeting bank accounts have become increasingly common in Italy.

Many victims, like Peparini, only discover the theft after checking their account balance.

Public figures sharing their experiences can help raise awareness about these scams.

Authorities often advise people never to share personal banking details over the phone.

Peparini's case has drawn attention because of her fame as a choreographer.

Her story serves as a warning for others who might receive similar scam calls.

Vocabulary10 words

phone scam
a trick done by calling someone to steal money
bank account
a place where someone keeps their money
fraud
a dishonest way to get money
shock
a strong feeling of surprise and fear
report
an official statement to the police
crime
an action against the law
victim
a person harmed by a crime
authorities
people with power, like police
awareness
knowing about something important
identity
who a person really is

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Quiz

1. What type of crime happened to Veronica Peparini?
2. What did Peparini do after the scam, besides reporting it?
3. True or False: Peparini had a large amount of money left in her account after the scam.

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Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Veronica Peparini, a well-known Italian choreographer, has reported that she was the victim of a _____ _____.

According to Peparini, the scammer managed to access her _____ _____ and take most of her money.

She said she was left with only four euros in her account after the _____.

Peparini also revealed that the person who called her seemed to have recognised her _____.

She explained that she was left in _____ after realising what had happened.

After the incident, Peparini decided to file an official _____ with the authorities.

She went further and shared the _____ _____ of the person who had scammed her.

By doing this, she hoped to warn others and help prevent similar _____.

Phone scams targeting bank accounts have become increasingly _____ in Italy.

Discussion questions

  1. Have you or someone you know ever received a scam phone call? What happened?
  2. Why do you think scammers target bank accounts specifically?
  3. Do you think it is helpful when public figures share their experiences of being scammed?
  4. What steps can people take to protect themselves from phone scams?

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