A 69-year-old man was arrested in Elda for stealing 6,300 euros from a 71-year-old man and getting into his private information. He deceived the man by pretending to be a legal services company’s virtual currency advisor and installing a remote access app.
The investigation started after the victim filed a complaint saying that he had made several false purchases and transfers after installing a remote access app as directed by the person on the other end of the phone. The National Police say that this person has been arrested as the alleged perpetrator of fraud and the discovery and disclosure of secrets.
The victim said that in early March 2025, he got a call from someone who said they worked for a legal services organisation that offered bitcoin advisory services. The victim, who had been tricked, clicked on a link supplied by the fake advisor and started trading through a specific app, following the caller’s instructions at every step.
He made five quick transfers of different amounts to the other person’s account, for a total of €3,800. Then, his bank called him to tell him that they were banning his bank account and connected cards for security reasons since they had found out that the payments were fake.
The investigation found that he was the victim of three previous fake transfers totalling more than 2,500 euros, as well as unlawful purchases in stores throughout Catalonia.
The victim clicked the link and installed a “remote desktop” app during the call. This app lets anyone connect to and control another computer or device over the internet. These apps are not primarily for committing crimes; their main function is to make it easier to access, control, and obtain technical help from afar.
The application gave the criminal full access to the victim’s activity, such as seeing passwords, accounts, personal information, calendars, and more. This gave the criminal access to the passwords and allowed them to steal the accounts for illegal purposes.
The police were able to figure out who the criminals were: two men and a woman who moved around Spain to get money into their accounts and buy things.
One of the men called the victim and tricked him into installing a “remote desktop” app on his phone. He was taken into custody, but the other two have not been found yet. The police know who they are and intend to apprehend them soon.
The Duty Magistrate’s Court of Elda was made aware of the proceedings and will continue with them.
The National Police wants to urge people not to install apps or click on links received during unverified phone calls. If you see a questionable transaction, you should alert the bank or the police right away.
Also, it’s best to be very careful with unexpected calls about investments, banking transactions, or technical services. Don’t give out passwords, codes, or personal information, and always talk to your family or bank before doing any business. If you have any doubts or see anything strange, it’s also a good idea to call the police.
Author: Derek Appleton
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