The Guardia Civil has arrested a hundred people and is investigating 151 more for their involvement in a nationwide banking scam. The operation, which began two years ago in Málaga, has seen 1.2 million euros stolen from 323 people, although the actual number of victims is believed to be much higher. The investigation remains ongoing.
The scam involved young people between 18 and 25 years old working together in a well-structured organization. They would spoof bank phone numbers to send SMS messages to customers, leading them to fake websites where they would input sensitive information. Later, the scammers would call pretending to be bank employees, gaining trust and extracting verification codes that were then used to transfer money without the victim’s knowledge.
The Guardia Civil has identified 422 individuals involved in the scam, with 472 bank accounts and 708 phone lines linked to the fraudulent activities. Despite most victims being in Málaga, the majority of arrests were made in Barcelona, with additional arrests in 39 provinces including Madrid, Tarragona, and Lleida. The authorities have stated that nearly all reported crimes have been solved thanks to the operation.
The police officers in charge of the investigation were able to uncover the inner workings of the criminal organization, which included specialists handling different parts of the scam such as money laundering and recruitment. The operatives used a complex network involving mules, international accounts, and cryptocurrency to evade detection, but lacked high technical skills. The Guardia Civil emphasized the collaborative effort across multiple regions that led to the successful apprehension of the suspects.
Overall, 100 individuals have been detained and 151 more are under investigation. They face charges of belonging to a criminal organization, fraud, and money laundering. The implications of the scam were felt nationwide, showing the need for vigilance against such sophisticated cybercrime. With the support of various law enforcement agencies, the authorities were able to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent further financial losses for innocent victims.
