The National Police have arrested a 24-year-old male and a 22-year-old woman in Torrevieja and Alicante on suspicion of robbery with violence and fraud. The incident occurred in Alicante, where the culprits grabbed an unlocked high-end mobile phone in order to exploit its virtual cards and carry out a series of fraudulent transactions totalling €2,270.
The police intervention was spurred by a complaint submitted by the victim, who stated that while walking in the early morning hours and conversing on the phone, she was approached by a man and woman. At that point, the man grabbed the phone from her hands and fled. At the same time, the woman accompanying him gripped her forcefully, preventing her from pursuing him.
When the male was far enough away, the woman freed the victim and departed the scene in the same direction. Along the way, the woman dropped a pocketbook without realising it. The victim picked it up and discovered a passport, many documents, and other stuff inside, allowing the inquiry to proceed rapidly.
Development of actions
The National Police investigation at the Alicante North Precinct revealed that the inmates had preselected their victim. In one example, they followed her as she was strolling and acted only after she was distracted by a phone conversation. The goal was to complete the robbery with minimal resistance by acquiring access to an unlocked, turned-on smartphone containing all of the victim’s personal and banking information.
Following the crime, the criminals used the stolen phone to pay for a taxi. Throughout the trip, the man kept the phone from locking and used his personal phone as a “bridge”: when he received a call from the victim, he connected the speakers of both phones, simulating a conversation between her and a third party, who pretended to be an employee from the lost and found office.
In this conversation, an unrelated third party impersonated a public employee and duped the victim into believing her phone had been retrieved by a citizen and returned to the lost and found agency. He asked for her personal information, including her National Identity Document (DNI) number, and invited her to come and pick up the phone in the coming days.
After convincing the victim to postpone filing a complaint, and with all of her data, her phone unlocked, banking apps installed on her phone, and access to her invoices, the perpetrator changed the victim’s online banking passwords, granting her complete access to all transactions.
The culprits went to many banking institutions in Alicante, San Vicente, and Torrevieja, carrying out multiple transactions charged to the victim’s accounts, resulting in a total cash loss of 2,270 euros.
Arrests
The police operation led to the arrest of both suspects: the guy in Torrevieja and the woman in Alicante. At the time, a high-end mobile used in the scam was seized.
Both inmates are under investigation for robbery with violence and fraud. The 24-year-old man appeared before the Alicante Investigative Court.
Prevention
The National Police reiterates to the public the importance of appropriately protecting cell phones, including not leaving banking applications open or virtual cards available. Similarly, it is advisable to avoid disclosing personal information in questionable calls, even if they pretend to be from official agencies.
If your device is lost or stolen, you should report it right away, block it, and notify your bank to restrict access to your accounts or cards.
Citizens can visit National Police stations, contact 091, or fill out forms on the official website if they have any questions or want to make a formal complaint.
Author: Derek Appleton
Other Articles
Caught in Bigastro with 180 doses of drugs in his vehicle
Benidorm death: Family say “The police have let us down”
No Comment! Be the first one.