Banking fraud ring dismantled after 'vishing' scams defraud over 150,000 euros

The National Police arrested a 25-year-old man in Cornellà de Llobregat, linked to more than 20 criminal incidents across Spain.

Imatge genèrica que representa la ciberdelinqüència o una operació policial amb dispositius electrònics.

Imatge genèrica que representa la ciberdelinqüència o una operació policial amb dispositius electrònics.

The National Police arrested a 25-year-old man in Cornellà de Llobregat for his involvement in a sophisticated banking fraud scheme that defrauded over 150,000 euros, with incidents reported in Manresa and other Spanish cities.

The police investigation culminated in the arrest of an individual in the Baix Llobregat region, who is linked to more than twenty criminal incidents reported in various locations across Spain, including Manresa, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Madrid, Sevilla, Pamplona, and Vigo. The total amount defrauded exceeds 150,000 euros, and authorities do not rule out the possibility of this figure increasing as the investigation progresses.
The scheme focused on banking fraud through phone calls, a technique known as 'vishing', where the perpetrator impersonated a manager from the victim's financial institution. A large portion of those affected were elderly individuals, mostly between 70 and 75 years old, who were clients of the impersonated bank.
The pretext used was to alert victims of a supposed fraudulent operation on their account, convincing them to move their savings to 'secure accounts' to prevent further fraud. The methodology was described as 'highly sophisticated', involving mobile lines with false identities and the use of technical banking jargon. In many cases, victims were advised to split transfers into amounts below 1,000 euros to evade security controls.
The detainee acted in collusion with 'money mules' who helped launder the profits. This money was quickly converted into easily resalable items, such as gold jewelry or high-end phones, which were sent to fake addresses in Cornellà de Llobregat, Gavà, and Castelldefels. The arrest occurred in fraganti while the suspect was collecting a shipment, and various electronic devices and SIM cards were seized.
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