Dismantled a criminal network that defrauded 400,000 euros with calls that impersonated banks

The Guardia Civil has dismantled a criminal organization to which are attributed at least 26 scams committed in different parts of Spain through telephone calls in which the criminals impersonated banking entities. In total, the detected fraud amounts to approximately 400,000 euros.

The operation has resulted in the arrest of 15 people (eight men and seven women between 19 and 55 years old) who were part of an organized structure distributed across several provinces. According to the investigation, the group acted using the technique known as vishing, a telephone impersonation method in which scammers contact victims pretending to be employees of the bank's security area to generate a sense of urgency and get them to hand over codes or authorize transfers.

The case was uncovered following a complaint from a sports club in Sant Joan d’Alacant, which lost more than 53,000 euros after one of these fraudulent calls. From there, agents from the Investigation Area of the Main Post of the Guardia Civil in the Alicante town were reconstructing the structure of the network, which operated in a coordinated manner in different territories.

A structure organized into cells and with financial “mules”

The investigation indicates that the organization was divided into different operational levels. While some members made the calls and recruited victims, others were responsible for receiving the money in bank accounts opened or provided by third parties recruited for that function, known as “mules”.

Subsequently, the funds were quickly redistributed and, in part, converted into cryptocurrencies through international platforms, with the aim of hindering their traceability and blocking by financial entities.

The arrests have been carried out in provinces such as Alicante, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Murcia, Baleares, Granada, Jaén, Castellón and Tarragona, which gives an idea of the national scope of the network.

Money blocked and open cases

Thanks to the coordination between the Guardia Civil and the affected banking entities, it has been possible to block and judicially recover approximately 20,000 euros linked to some of the investigated scams.

The detainees are charged with crimes of continuous fraud, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization. The proceedings have been remitted to the Investigating Section of the Court of First Instance of Alicante, which will continue with the investigation to determine the total scope of the fraud and possible ramifications of the group.