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ARCHIVED - 300 tourists conned into paying for bogus holiday rentals in Alicante
Suspect arrested over internet scam offering non-existent accommodation in Alicante province, on the Costa Blanca.
The National Police have arrested a man believed to be behind a major holiday rental scam in which 300 people were conned into handing over hundreds of euros in deposits for non-existent accommodation in Alicante province, and elsewhere in the Valencia region.
The suspect allegedly advertised rentals of non-existent tourist apartments, located in Gandia, Calpe and Denia, amongst other towns, through Internet ad pages with photographs of real ads that he copied from other well-known platforms.
Once the victim had shown an interest in one of the apartments, they would agree to pay a deposit, most of the time less than €400 euros in order to avoid certain legal proceedings.
After the reservation was made, contact was lost.
The suspect, a Spanish national, had opened bank accounts in various banks, including a Lithuanian bank, using his own identity or false documents and the victims made payments into these accounts which the suspected fraudster then withdrew from ATMs.
The investigation began in March of this year - though police believe it has been going on for three years - after a holidaymaker was conned out of €500 having 'reserved' accommodation that didn't exist.
Initial inquiries led to the identification of two suspects, but one in particular who had a number of previous convictions for similar acts, along with a platform for travellers who had been been swindled.
The National Police in Valencia soon joined forces with colleagues in Madrid who were looking into one of the same suspects in relation to complaints dating back to 2018, and in July they received information suggesting the conman was hiding out at a tourist complex "in a town in the Valencia region".
Surveillance was set up and a search eventually carried out at the property, during which "various material and documentation" linking the suspect to the scam was seized - along with €35,000 in cash - and he was arrested this week.
IMAGE: Policia Nacional