Agents of the National Police have dealt a definitive blow to a criminal organization dedicated to cyber-scams, based in Valencia. The operation culminated in the arrest of 34 men and 8 women, involved in a scheme that used the well-known 'child in distress' method to deceive their victims.
The modus operandi consisted of sending mass text messages or WhatsApp messages to potential victims. The scammers impersonated the recipients' children, using phrases like «Hi mom, my phone is broken and this is my new number». Once contact was established and the victim's trust gained under a false sense of urgency, the criminals requested immediate bank transfers or payments through platforms like Bizum, under the pretext of urgent situations such as unpaid bills or repairs.
“"Be suspicious of urgent messages from unknown numbers claiming to be family members. Always verify identity by trying to call your child or family member's usual number directly."
The investigation, which involved months of digital and financial tracking, allowed the identification of the members of this organization. A large part of those arrested acted as bank «mules», lending their bank accounts to receive the scammed money in exchange for a small commission, thus hindering the tracking of the money by the authorities. The agents highlighted the professionalism of the scammers, who managed to ensure that victims, driven by anguish, did not verify the sender's identity before making payments, which in some individual cases exceeded 10,000 euros.
Given the increase in this type of crime, the National Police reminds citizens of basic security guidelines: never make transfers to unregistered accounts without first speaking to the person, and report immediately if you have been a victim to try and block the funds. With these 42 arrests, it is hoped that the impact of this fraud will be drastically reduced, although the investigation remains open to identify possible international ramifications.
