The Civil Guard has uncovered a corporate email scam in which a cybercriminal impersonated a celebration venue in Seville and took the wedding deposit from a couple. The BEC-type fraud has been referred to the court in Dos Hermanas.
The Civil Guard has named the alleged perpetrator of a scam that left an engaged couple without their wedding deposit and a celebration venue in Seville with their reservation in limbo. The case, investigated by the @ Cyber Command Team, has been sent to the Investigation Court of Dos Hermanas, where the main suspect resides.
A Nearly Perfect Impersonation
According to the Civil Guard, the events date back several months when a couple contacted a celebration venue in the province of Seville to organise their wedding. After visiting the facilities and receiving the contract, the couple fully trusted the company. However, the cybercriminals had intercepted electronic communications and created an email domain almost identical to that of the venue.
From this fraudulent address, they sent the couple new payment instructions, replacing the legitimate bank account with one controlled by the scammers. Believing they were still dealing with the company, the couple transferred the deposit and sent the documentation, including ID, signed contract, and bank receipt.
The Deception Comes to Light
Days later, the venue's representative, not having received the payment, contacted the couple through a different channel. It was then that both parties discovered they had been victims of a sophisticated identity theft. The scammers not only posed as the company to the couple but also maintained parallel conversations with the venue pretending to be the couple, controlling the entire process.
Specialists from the @ Team analysed the digital evidence, the traceability of communications, and the flow of money. They managed to identify the beneficiary of the fraud, a resident of Dos Hermanas, and submitted the proceedings to the local court. The investigation remains open to determine if there are more individuals involved.
Recommendations to Avoid BEC Fraud
This type of scam, known as Business Email Compromise (BEC), has become an increasing threat in the province of Seville. Experts recommend always verifying bank details by calling the establishment directly, being wary of account changes via email, and not sending sensitive documentation without confirming the sender's identity.
The couple, who have already reported the incident, have had to postpone their wedding while awaiting judicial resolution. Meanwhile, the celebration venue has strengthened its digital security measures to prevent a recurrence. The case serves as a reminder that, in the digital age, even wedding preparations are not safe from cybercriminals.
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