The Civil Guard has clarified a scam of more than 4,000 euros suffered by a resident of Barcelona who tried to book a vacation rental online. The investigation has made it possible to identify as the alleged perpetrator a resident of Tarragona, who has already been brought before the judicial authorities.
The victim located a property that fit their needs on a well-known rental platform. After an initial contact, the conversation continued by email, where they received images and more details of the accommodation.
A fraudulent link and an instant transfer
During those contacts, the supposed landlords offered a discount based on the length of the stay and provided a link that simulated belonging to another recognized platform. On that fraudulent portal, the data matched the conversations previously held by email, which reinforced the appearance of authenticity.
Convinced that the reservation was legitimate, the affected person made a bank transfer of over 4,000 euros. After uploading the payment receipt, the system did not recognize the reservation and the victim tried to cancel the operation through their bank, although it was no longer possible as it was an instant transfer.
That same day, the supposed advertiser contacted the victim again via WhatsApp to maintain the appearance of legality.
Investigation assumed by the specialized team
The complaint was filed through the electronic headquarters of the Guardia Civil. The case was processed by the National Office for Electronic Receipt of Complaints and the investigation was left in the hands of the team specialized in cybercrime.
Among the first actions, the blocking of the bank account receiving the funds was agreed upon. The analysis of communications and the traceability of the money made it possible to fully identify the alleged perpetrator, a resident of Tarragona.
Agents of the Judicial Police Team of Salou investigated the suspect, who was finally made available to the competent judicial authority in Tarragona.
Call to exercise extreme caution
"The importance of taking extreme precautions against this type of fraud" - Guardia Civil
The armed institute insists on the need to use verified platforms, distrust overly attractive offers, avoid payments outside official channels, and always check the authenticity of advertisements before making any transfer. The investigation considers a fraud to be cleared up, which began with a false vacation offer and ended with a complaint processed electronically from Barcelona and a suspected perpetrator investigated in Tarragona.