Officers from the Guardia Civil in Guadalajara have dismantled a gang of criminals who would manipulate the recorded mileage of vehicles in order to increase their apparent value before selling them.
The gang would obtain vehicles through leasing companies created for the sole purpose of the deception and after purchasing the vehicles they would then manipulate the mileage and documentation to increase the market value, then sell them through internet portals where the vehicle history was less likely to be checked.
The final transaction was usually completed in car parks and shopping centres, and so the victims had no record of the real location or address of the sellers.
The gang was based in the Guadalajara and Madrid areas, but sold the vehicles across the country, conning innocent buyers into buying overpriced and potentially dangerous vehicles.
In total, the investigators have identified more than 200 victims of the scam, although they believe that more victims will be revealed as the complex investigation continues. So far, victims of these scams have been located in the provinces of Guadalajara, Toledo, Ávila, Madrid, Cáceres, Castellón, Tarragona, Tenerife, Palma de Mallorca, Bizkaia, Málaga, Jaén and Almería.
In total, six people have been arrested so far, five men and a woman, all aged between 33 and 42, all suspected of the crimes of fraud, forgery and conspiracy.
One arrestee has already entered prison having been wanted in connection with other offences. An additional eight people are also under investigation.
During the raids, the officers recovered documentation, numerous car keys, mobile phones, cash, computer equipment and business stamps for six companies.
If you are purchasing a second-hand car you can check the vehicle´s history yourself via the DGT´s website. There are a number of articles about buying and selling a used car in Spain on this website, just look at the driving in Spain FAQ list or search above, and you should always complete a sales record form and take copies of documents from the seller. It is also wise to use a reputable dealer, such as our supporters at Autos Direct, where the history of the transaction is recorded and maintained.
