The National Police have arrested seven men in San Adrià de Besòs (Barcelona) accused of defrauding thousands of euros using the SIM swapping method, a scam that affected victims in at least twelve Spanish cities, including Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote. The investigation began after a complaint from a resident of A Coruña who had 9,500 euros stolen through unauthorized charges and ATM withdrawals.
According to the Police, the scammers impersonated the victims to telephone companies to duplicate their SIM cards and gain control of their phone numbers. Once they managed to access the two-step verification SMS messages, they could access their bank accounts, social media, and other associated services, from which they made purchases and cash withdrawals.
The network operated in various cities across the country, including A Coruña, Ferrol, Marín, Ávila, Valladolid, Madrid, Alcobendas, Arrecife, Jerez de la Frontera, Cáceres, Zaragoza, and Melilla. In total, 16 complaints have been resolved before proceeding with the arrest of the seven individuals involved in the Barcelona locality.
