The Civil Guard has identified six individuals for scamming a resident of Seville through a fake offer of discounted cards. The scheme operated from Huesca and used cryptocurrencies to raise funds.
A supposed saving opportunity turned into a fraud for a resident of Seville, who lost money after being deceived by a criminal group specialised in online scams. The Civil Guard has clarified the case and identified six individuals, aged between 18 and 59, as alleged responsible for a scheme operating from Huesca.
The events date back to when the victim was added to several groups on a messaging application where fake offers for purchasing cards with significant discounts were promoted. To lend credibility to the scam, the groups had numerous users sharing false testimonials about supposed savings achieved.
After contacting one of the administrators, the Seville resident was offered to buy cards at a low price and was later convinced to follow a supposed method that would allow him to manufacture them himself. To do this, he had to carry out operations with cryptocurrencies under the promise that the money sent would be automatically refunded at the end of the process.
Following the instructions, the victim made several bank transfers and sent crypto-assets. However, the refunds never arrived, and when he tried to demand explanations, those responsible cut off all communication.
The investigation, carried out by the Cyber Command of the Civil Guard in collaboration with the Huesca @ Team, allowed tracking the cryptocurrencies through the analysis of blockchain technology. Investigators reconstructed the path taken by the funds and detected movements aimed at hindering their traceability, such as transfers between multiple digital wallets and subsequent conversions to conventional currency.
Thanks to financial analysis and actions taken with banking entities and crypto-asset platforms, the final beneficiaries of the money were identified, and the participation of each of the investigated individuals was specified. Among them is the alleged leader of the organisation and several of his closest collaborators.
As a result of the operation, crimes of fraud, money laundering, and belonging to a criminal group have been clarified. The proceedings, along with the six investigated individuals, have been sent to the Judicial Authority of Monzón (Huesca).
The Civil Guard reminds the importance of exercising caution regarding offers spread online and recommends being wary of promises of extraordinary benefits with little effort or risk. It also advises against accepting unexpected offers received through social networks or messaging applications, not to send money to strangers for investments or purchases, and to keep all information related to the operation: bank accounts, phone numbers, users, groups, or conversations.
For residents of the province of Seville, this case serves as a reminder that online scams know no borders and can affect anyone. Citizen collaboration and early reporting are key for security forces to act and dismantle such schemes.
You may also like
