National Police agents in Madrid have arrested a 57-year-old man, with a history of similar events, for defrauding a foreign citizen of 150,000 euros, who had been the victim of fraud when trying to acquire a property in Lanzarote. The agents began an investigation last June, following the complaint filed by the victim.
The investigation was able to verify that the alleged perpetrator had managed to obtain a web domain very similar to that of the real estate company, with which the victim had maintained contact to carry out the purchase. This technique, called cybersquatting, consists of illicitly taking advantage of commercial brands or services of others, occupying a domain practically identical to that of the requested service, modifying, for example, a letter, which leads to confusion for potential victims.
A total of 76,000 euros were seized from the arrested person in one of his current accounts, and a judicial block was carried out on another seven bank accounts, which were under his ownership. In addition, a motorhome was seized, which he had acquired with part of the defrauded money, a total of 64,000 euros, which he had put in the name of a front man so as not to be located.
The alleged perpetrator of the events was located in Madrid, and he moved through various areas of the peninsula in the motorhome, in which, with prior judicial authorization, the entry and search diligence was carried out. As a result of said entry and search, several mobile phone terminals, a pen drive and various documents were seized, with relevant information for the clarification of the investigated facts.
After the proceedings carried out, the investigated person was arrested as the alleged perpetrator of the crimes of fraud and money laundering, and a total of 8,960 euros in cash were seized from him at the time of the arrest. The investigation remains open, and it is not ruled out that more victims and more detainees may appear.
The detainee, who also had an outstanding warrant from an Investigating Court in Murcia, was placed at the disposal of the competent Judicial Authority.