Agents of the National Police have dismantled in Madrid a criminal network specializing in banking fraud through the fraudulent use of dataphones and false identities. As part of this operation, three people were arrested who caused economic damage to 215,000 euros to different banking entities through more than 280 bank accounts created with 17 false identities.
The investigation began following various complaints filed by different banks that were suffering economic damage in banking operations with dataphones. The fraudulent operation involved members of the criminal network, through use of false documentsthey created a large number of bank accounts with which they rented dataphones or point-of-sale terminals.
After renting these terminals, the respondents started making payments using different credit or debit cardscontrolled by themselves, for large amounts, these purchases being paid immediately into the bank accounts they had created.
When these funds were paid into fraudulently created bank accounts, they were transferred to other members of the organization or withdrawn in cash at an ATM. Once the money was no longer in the account, they simulated the cancellation of the purchase and therefore the return of the money to the alleged buyer.
The bank was responsible for the reimbursement, leaving the account associated with overdraft terminalsthus generating significant economic damage to a multitude of different banking entities.
In the time that elapsed between the withdrawals and the claims from the banking entities, the respondents attempted to carry out the a greater number of operations until the charging stations are blocked.
While the accounts and cards were active, and in order to maximize the profits from the frauds, those investigated made payments in stores and cash withdrawals on credit, so that once the accounts were blocked, the crimes would not are not committed. .fertilizers, that being said a second way to defraud.
They scammed by renting their house themselves
Throughout the investigation, it was discovered that this network was looking for new ways to commit scamsvarying and evolving their way of working, leading to the discovery that they were using a well-known tourist rental web platform to continue causing economic damage to banking entities.
The way of acting in this case was similar to the previous one. Respondents offered a property for rent via the platform that they themselves would end up renting. Later, playing their role as customers, they pretended to have to cancel the rental for any reason and they demanded the return of the money advanced as a reserve. Among the properties used to commit this fraud was the house used by those arrested as their habitual residence.
Investigators were thus able to conclude that those arrested would have used at least 17 false identity documents, paving the way for more than 280 bank accounts in 19 different Spanish banking entities, causing proven economic damage of more than 215,000 euros.
