Police in the southern city of Bari seized several smartphones and memory cards from the 40-year old, after wiretapping his calls following complaints from multiple victims.

The man is alleged to have called women who had undergone swabs at clinics across the country, to tell them they had been diagnosed with “several vaginal infections,” the police said in a statement.

“He then persuaded them to undergo an online gynaecological exam,” it said, adding that “over 400 women throughout Italy” had been targeted, from Lazio to Lombardia and Calabria.

“He introduced himself as a doctor. He knew my date and place of birth and asked me if I had done a gynaecological check-up in recent months,” the Repubblica daily quoted one victim as saying.

“He asked increasingly personal questions… then requested a video call via Zoom or Hangout… (and) asked me to show my private parts to confirm the diagnosis,” said the woman, referred to just as “Lucia”.

The investigation into the abuse is ongoing, police said.