The two individuals boarded the taxi in Barcelona claiming they had lost their wallet and promised to make an immediate bank transfer to cover the service cost. During the long journey to Lisbon, the driver had to cover various travel expenses, while one of the suspects showed him fake screenshots simulating payments to ensure the trip continued.

Once in the Portuguese capital, the men left the vehicle without paying for the service or the accumulated expenses, forcing the taxi driver to return to Barcelona without having collected any money. The victim filed a complaint, and the Mossos launched an investigation to locate the alleged fraudsters.

Shortly thereafter, the two suspects attempted to hire a new service, this time from El Prat de Barcelona airport to Perpignan, but they were eventually located in Hostalric. The police set up an operation and arrested them on the afternoon of January 13, just as they intended to start the new journey.

The total amount of the scam, including the cost of the international trip and the expenses the driver had to cover, amounts to approximately 5,000 euros. It is noted that one of the arrested individuals already had a history of similar incidents in Alicante and Valencia. The day after the detention, the two men were brought before the duty court in Santa Coloma de Farners, charged with fraud.