Fake sales representative defrauds €350,000 from over 40 elderly and disabled people in Granada
A 41-year-old man has been arrested in Granada for defrauding over €350,000 from more than 40 elderly people and people with disabilities. The judge has ordered his remand in custody.
Man arrested in Granada after defrauding €350,000 by posing as sales representative
A 41-year-old man has been remanded in custody following his arrest in Granada accused of defrauding over €350,000 from more than 40 elderly people and people with disabilities, according to canalsur.es. The Civil Guard attributes to him a continuing crime of fraud, usurpation of civil status, and falsification of public and private documents.
The operation, named Larberik, was launched in May when officers from the Armilla post (Granada) identified a vehicle during a public safety check. In the boot they found numerous documentation: credit contracts, cheque books and invoices with details belonging to third parties. Subsequent investigation confirmed that the people whose details appeared in those documents had been victims of the driver.
A method based on trust and vulnerability
The alleged fraudster presented himself to the victims as a sales representative for various companies. His educated appearance and smart dress allowed him to generate trust and gain access to homes without difficulty, in many cases occupied by people living alone.
Once inside, he obtained personal data, banking documentation, pension certificates and signatures, which he later used to formalise credit contracts, purchase mobile phones or finance vehicles without the knowledge of those affected.
In some cases he returned to the homes claiming supposed errors in the financing, convincing the victims to make payments in cash, transfers or charges using a portable payment terminal to, allegedly, cancel the transactions. In others, he signed the documents himself, exploiting the vulnerability of those harmed and their fear of suffering greater harm.
Six Andalusian provinces affected
The Civil Guard established that the victims were spread across six Andalusian provinces: Almería, Jaén, Granada, Seville, Málaga and Córdoba.
With the support of the Local Police of Granada and Peligros, officers arrested the suspect and searched his home. There they seized one of the motorcycles reported as having been defrauded, the vehicle he was driving—allegedly obtained using documentation of a victim—and over one thousand euros in cash, along with the portable payment terminal.
Investigators also seized banking documentation, financing contracts and other items related to the investigation, including a rental contract for a car in the name of a deceased person.
High-end vehicles and an arrest for handling stolen goods
According to the investigation, the alleged perpetrator acquired two high-end mobile terminals, two motorcycles with large engine capacities and a car using data stolen from the victims. Some of those vehicles were subsequently sold to third parties. One of those people has already been brought before the court for a crime of handling stolen goods, and the Civil Guard does not rule out further arrests soon.
The arrested man was brought before the duty judge in Granada, who ordered his remand in custody.
Source: Google News ES — Crime (es)