- Region
- Vega baja
- Marina Alta
- Marina Baixa
- Alicante
- Baix Vinalopo
- Alto & Mitja Vinalopo
-
ALL TOWNS
- ALICANTE TOWNS
- Albatera
- Alfaz Del Pi
- Alicante City
- Alcoy
- Almoradi
- Benitatxell
- Bigastro
- Benferri
- Benidorm
- Calosa de Segura
- Calpe
- Catral
- Costa Blanca
- Cox
- Daya Vieja
- Denia
- Elche
- Elda
- Granja de Rocamora
- Guardamar del Segura
- Jacarilla
- Los Montesinos
- Orihuela
- Pedreguer
- Pilar de Horadada
- Quesada
- Rafal
- Redovan
- Rojales
- San Isidro
- Torrevieja
- Comunidad Valenciana
- EDITIONS: Spanish News Today Murcia Today Andalucia Today
article_detail
Date Published: 11/11/2022
ARCHIVED - Suitcase scam: Costa Blanca victims conned out of thousands by scammers posing as relatives
The con artists pretended to be family members living overseas to swindle cash out of people in Alicante and Castilla-La Mancha
The National Police have shut down a criminal network that specialised in swindling victims in Alicante and Hellin, Castilla-La Mancha out of thousands using a con known as the 'suitcase scam'.
Five victims were conned out of a total of 12,000 euros, leading to the arrest of four people.
The modus operandi was always the same: the suspects contacted their victims, who were recruited through social engineering techniques, and posed as family members living abroad, according to the National Police.
Once the victim had fallen into the trap, the scammers told them that they needed money because their suitcases have been detained at the airport, sending false customs documents and photographs of the luggage and even false documentation related to different airlines.
The victims agreed to help them financially and sent cash through different instant money transfer channels.
Although five victims have already been identified, the investigation is ongoing to identify any other possible targets.
Arrests were made after the Economic Crime Group of the Provincial Judicial Police Brigade identified four possible "mules" responsible for receiving the money in their bank accounts and handing it over to a woman who was in charge of sending it to its final destination, Bolivia.
The detainees, two men and two women, aged between 26 and 50, and of Bolivian, Venezuelan and Spanish nationality, have been charged with fraud.
Image: Wikipedia Commons
staff.inc.ali
Loading
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
25% Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
Contact Murcia Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268