An Alicante bank manager’s complaint has revealed a financial scam involving the acquisition of luxury automobiles. The investigation’s sources claim that the vehicles were subsequently offered for sale on second-hand marketplaces.

According to the same sources, the victim, a former employee of one of the fraud suspects, was coerced by the two accused offenders into applying for a 65,000 euro loan under duress and using falsified papers. One of the accused suspects has been taken into custody by the National Police, and the second is scheduled to be taken into custody in “a few days.”

The bank manager who saw the unusual transaction filed a complaint, which sparked the investigation. According to the investigation, the victim took out the loan in his own name after being coerced into doing so by two people who threatened him.

The financing was meant to be used to buy a luxury car that cost 75,000 euros. Throughout the process, the accused criminals followed the victim on a number of transactions, including one at a Valencia notary public’s office where one of them pretended to be his financial advisor.

Using a fictitious pick-up authorisation, one of the criminals took the vehicle out of the showroom. The same sources note that a man claiming to be the victim and the loan holder had earlier called the dealership to say that a purported employee would be picking up the car. The car was listed for sale on a popular online car-selling website a few days later.

The suspected offenders, two men, ages 48 and 52, with police records for comparable acts, were fully identified as a result of the investigations. The Alicante Court of Instruction received the case.

Citizens are advised by the National Police to take preventative measures against potential financial fraud and coercion. It is advised to thoroughly read any document before signing it in order to prevent falling victim to these crimes: Consult a specialist or your bank if you are unsure.

On second-hand platforms, confirm the identities of both buyers and sellers. Before transferring any paperwork or making any payments, be sure the transaction is secure. Don’t give strangers access to your financial information: Don’t divulge banking or personal information without assurances of security.

Report any attempt at fraud or coercion: seek guidance and assistance from the National Police in any questionable circumstance. The prevention of this kind of crime depends on citizen cooperation. You can visit the National Police offices or go to www.policia.es to report a crime or for more information.