The Guardia Civil arrested four males aged 26 to 44 in Alicante and Elche on suspicion of being part of a criminal cell that specialises in online marketplace fraud. They are currently charged with two scams totalling roughly €37,000 against two homeowners of Novelda and San Roque (Cádiz) who paid for carslisted on Wallapop but did not get them.
The inquiry began in February after a Novelda resident filed a complaint alleging that he had been a victim of a scam involving the fraudulent sale of a vehicle advertised online, notably on Wallapop. Given the gravity of the situation, the Investigation Team of the Organic Unit of the Judicial Police of the Guardia Civil in Alicante assumed charge of the investigation, which was just completed with four arrests.
Recruitment of victims
The agents analysed the group’s “modus operandi” in the first phase, which involved recruiting victims through online marketplaces and then shifting the talks to dangerous channels, such as phone calls or private messaging.
To build trust and appear credible, the scammers delivered photographs, videos, and bogus vehicle documentation, including forged sales invoices and even a real hotel reservation in Cadiz.
Transfer
Using this manner, the victim sent €28,900. Another case has been reported in San Roque (Cádiz), where a second victim transferred €8,000 as a deposit.
The investigation revealed that the vehicle offered belonged to a resident of Lebrija (Seville), who was legitimately selling it on an online platform, entirely oblivious of the fraudulent exploitation of his advertisement.
The group’s operational core, including its putative leader, who had telecoms engineering training, was believed to be in Alicante.
The arrests were made last February in Alicante and Elche after the suspects’ involvement was verified. During the searches, investigators seized 870 euros in cash, as well as multiple mobile devices and SIM cards.
The inmates, who were later released, are charged with fraud, document forgery, identity theft, belonging to a criminal organisation, and money laundering.
As part of the operation, about 2,700 euros were blocked in a bank account related to the criminal organisation.
The investigation is still ongoing, therefore the appearance of more suspects or victims cannot be ruled out.
The Guardia Civil reminds the public to take extreme precautions when buying and selling vehicles online, including verifying the seller’s identity, confirming vehicle ownership, being wary of urgent advance payments, and never leaving secure platform channels without first verifying the transaction.
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