National Police officers arrested two criminals, of Argentine nationality, for fraud by selling fake cassettes for immigration proceduresThis was reported on Saturday by the Interior Ministry, which explained that the two individuals had already defrauded more than 100 people, taking advantage of the desperation of those who were unable to obtain these appointments through official channels.
The procedure was always the same: they monopolized almost all available appointments via a computer robot, then offered them via social networks. When the victims requested information, they were given a telephone number and Payment was made by courieras well as the place and time of the meeting.
They came to charge between 50 and 90 euros per appointmentwhen in reality it is a completely free public procedure. When the victims went to the immigration offices, they verified that these appointments did not exist. The criminal group was dismantled in a municipality of the Valencian Community andand 7,290 euros in cash were seizedmany devices with which they ran the business.
The investigation, which remains open, began following a dozen complaints filed by foreigners who told authorities they had been scammed by the sale of advance appointments to complete immigration procedures. In all cases, The people concerned paid for an appointment which they later verified did not exist.
The profile of the victims corresponds to foreigners who need to carry out different immigration procedures – such as requesting international protection, taking fingerprints for the NIE or requesting certificates for Union citizens – and who, faced with the inability to obtain an appointment through official channelsDesperation drove them to pay for a public service that was free anyway.
