- Region
- Águilas
- Alhama de Murcia
- Jumilla
- Lorca
- Los Alcázares
- Mazarrón
- San Javier
-
ALL AREAS & TOWNS
- AREAS
- SOUTH WEST
- MAR MENOR
- MURCIA CITY & CENTRAL
- NORTH & NORTH WEST
- TOWNS
- Abanilla
- Abarán
- Aguilas
- Alamillo
- Alcantarilla
- Aledo
- Alhama de Murcia
- Archena
- Balsicas
- Blanca
- Bolnuevo
- Bullas
- Cañadas del Romero
- Cabo de Palos
- Calasparra
- Camping Bolnuevo
- Campo De Ricote
- Camposol
- Canada De La Lena
- Caravaca de la Cruz
- Cartagena
- Cehegin
- Ceuti
- Cieza
- Condado de Alhama
- Corvera
- Costa Cálida
- Cuevas De Almanzora
- Cuevas de Reyllo
- El Carmoli
- El Mojon
- El Molino (Puerto Lumbreras)
- El Pareton / Cantareros
- El Raso
- El Valle Golf Resort
- Fortuna
- Fuente Alamo
- Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
- Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
- Isla Plana
- Islas Menores & Mar de Cristal
- Jumilla
- La Azohia
- La Charca
- La Manga Club
- La Manga del Mar Menor
- La Pinilla
- La Puebla
- La Torre
- La Torre Golf Resort
- La Unión
- Las Palas
- Las Ramblas
- Las Ramblas Golf
- Las Torres de Cotillas
- Leiva
- Librilla
- Lo Pagan
- Lo Santiago
- Lorca
- Lorquí
- Los Alcázares
- Los Balcones
- Los Belones
- Los Canovas
- Los Nietos
- Los Perez (Tallante)
- Los Urrutias
- Los Ventorrillos
- Mar De Cristal
- Mar Menor
- Mar Menor Golf Resort
- Mazarrón
- Mazarrón Country Club
- Molina de Segura
- Moratalla
- Mula
- Murcia City
- Murcia Property
- Pareton
- Peraleja Golf Resort
- Perin
- Pilar de la Horadada
- Pinar de Campoverde
- Pinoso
- Playa Honda
- Playa Honda / Playa Paraíso
- Pliego
- Portmán
- Pozo Estrecho
- Puerto de Mazarrón
- Puerto Lumbreras
- Puntas De Calnegre
- Region of Murcia
- Ricote
- Roda Golf Resort
- Roldan
- Roldan and Lo Ferro
- San Javier
- San Pedro del Pinatar
- Santiago de la Ribera
- Sierra Espuña
- Sucina
- Tallante
- Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
- Torre Pacheco
- Totana
- What's On Weekly Bulletin
- Yecla
- EDITIONS: Spanish News Today Alicante Today Andalucia Today
article_detail
Date Published: 05/09/2022
ARCHIVED - Murcia resident arrested in connection with 36,000-euro cryptocurrency scam from UK
A con artist in Murcia has been detained after he used a UK phone number to sell fraudulent cryptocurrencies
The Guardia Civil in the Region of Murcia have arrested a 35-year-old man resident in Murcia for scamming 36,000 euros out of at least one victim in Totana using a cryptocurrency telephone con with a UK-based number.
The arrest was made as part of Operation ‘Criptor’, an investigation by Spanish police in response to the complaints of the Totana resident that they had been the victim of a scam after they had made certain investments in cryptocurrencies with the help of an alleged financial advisor.
It seems that in the scam, the first contact was made with potential victims through a phone call from the United Kingdom, in which an alleged financial manager encouraged their target to invest in a well-known virtual currency, assuring them that, due to a recent drop in prices, it was a very good time to buy.
In this way, and with the promise that they would see substantial profits in no time, the fraudster managed to get his victim to transfer up to 36,000 euros to a digital wallet. When the promised profits didn’t immediately arrive, the con artist kept his victim on the line with excuses about fictitious problems derived from the payment of certain taxes and duties that prevented him from receiving his money.
The first investigations focused on following the digital trail of the money allegedly invested, which led the Guardia Civil to learn that it had been transferred to two different bank accounts and, finally, to a third one in the name of a resident of Murcia.
The 35-year-old arrestee, whose nationality has not been revealed, has been placed at the disposal of the Court of Instruction in Totana to answer for his crimes.
Meanwhile, the investigation is still open, and police have not ruled out the possibility that they will make more arrests.
Tips to avoid scams when buying digital currency
The Guardia Civil in Spain has detected an increase in scams related to investments in cryptocurrencies. Here’s how they normally work.
The modus operandi of cybercriminals consists of carrying out advertising campaigns on the internet, through search engines and social networks, where supposed cryptocurrency investment companies are advertised.
Victims who see this advertising and provide their contact details are subsequently contacted by telephone by a supposed personal manager.
In the first phase of the scam, the manager gets the victim to make a small investment of a few hundred euros from which, after a few days, he obtains a supposed return of more than 100%.
Next, once they have captured the victim’s interest thanks to the profitability obtained, they get them to open an account on a website for buying and selling cryptocurrencies (also known as an exchanger), at the same time as they get them to install a remote access application on their computer or mobile phone.
With this remote access, the criminal manages to guide the victim in the purchase of cryptocurrencies, which are then transferred to digital wallets owned by the fraudsters.
Typically, in this second phase of the scam, the victim invests larger amounts of money and some have even been found to take out personal loans to contribute to the investment scheme.
Below are a number of tips from the police to help detect these scams:
- Check whether the Comisión Nacional del Mercado de Valores (CNMV) has issued any kind of warning about the financial management company https://www.cnmv.es/Portal/Advertencias.aspx?lang=en
- Search online for opinions and warning about the supposed company
- Beware of telephone calls from numbers with an international prefix
- Never allow anyone you don’t know to have access your computer remotely
- Be suspicious of obtaining large profits in a short period of time… if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Image: Guardia Civil
Loading
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
25% Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
Find more information by AREA, TOWN or URBANISATION .....
Cabo de Palos
Cartagena
El Carmoli
Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal
La Manga Club
La Manga del Mar Menor
La Puebla
La Torre Golf Resort
La Union
Los Alcazares
Los Belones
Los Nietos
Los Urrutias
Mar Menor Golf Resort
Pilar de la Horadada
Playa Honda / Playa Paraiso
Portman
Roldan and Lo Ferro
San Javier
San Pedro del Pinatar
Santa Rosalia Lake and Life resort
Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
Torre Pacheco
Cartagena
El Carmoli
Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal
La Manga Club
La Manga del Mar Menor
La Puebla
La Torre Golf Resort
La Union
Los Alcazares
Los Belones
Los Nietos
Los Urrutias
Mar Menor Golf Resort
Pilar de la Horadada
Playa Honda / Playa Paraiso
Portman
Roldan and Lo Ferro
San Javier
San Pedro del Pinatar
Santa Rosalia Lake and Life resort
Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
Torre Pacheco
Aguilas
Aledo
Alhama de Murcia
Bolnuevo
Camposol
Condado de Alhama
Fuente Alamo
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
Lorca
Mazarron
Puerto de Mazarron
Puerto Lumbreras
Sierra Espuna
Totana
Aledo
Alhama de Murcia
Bolnuevo
Camposol
Condado de Alhama
Fuente Alamo
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
Lorca
Mazarron
Puerto de Mazarron
Puerto Lumbreras
Sierra Espuna
Totana
Abanilla
Abaran
Alcantarilla
Archena
Blanca
Corvera
El Valle Golf Resort
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
Lorqui
Molina de Segura
Mosa Trajectum
Murcia City
Peraleja Golf Resort
Ricote
Sucina
Abaran
Alcantarilla
Archena
Blanca
Corvera
El Valle Golf Resort
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
Lorqui
Molina de Segura
Mosa Trajectum
Murcia City
Peraleja Golf Resort
Ricote
Sucina
Urbanisations
CamposolCondado de Alhama
El Valle Golf Resort
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal
La Manga Club
La Torre Golf Resort
Mar Menor Golf Resort
Mazarron Country Club
Mosa Trajectum
Peraleja Golf Resort
Santa Rosalia Lake and Life resort
Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
La Zenia
Lomas de Cabo Roig
Important Topics:
CAMPOSOL TODAY Whats OnCartagena SpainCoronavirusCorvera Airport MurciaMurcia Gota Fria 2019Murcia property news generic threadWeekly Bulletin
CAMPOSOL TODAY Whats OnCartagena SpainCoronavirusCorvera Airport MurciaMurcia Gota Fria 2019Murcia property news generic threadWeekly Bulletin
Contact Murcia Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268