Tenerife Police Bust "Son in Distress" Scam Ring, Millions Stolen
Ten individuals were arrested in Tenerife and Barcelona for alleged involvement in a sophisticated fraud and money laundering scheme that scammed over €1.1 million from at least 155 victims nationwide using the "son in distress" method.
Police in Santa Cruz de Tenerife have arrested ten people – eight men and two women aged 19 to 31 – in a major operation. The suspects are accused of fraud, money laundering, being part of a criminal organization, and drug offenses. Officers from Barcelona assisted in the operation. A judge has ordered five of them to be held in jail.
The investigation began in April after someone in Tenerife reported being scammed using the "son in distress" method. This involves using fake text messages (smishing) and phone calls (vishing) through messaging apps. Police uncovered a large, organized network operating across the country with a growing number of victims.
So far, over 155 victims have been identified, and the amount of money stolen is more than €1,100,000, just from cases reported to the police. This number could rise as the investigation continues.
The suspects used fake IDs, phone lines linked to seized phones, and bank accounts belonging to other people (known as "money mules") to move and launder the stolen funds. Police seized 28 mobile phones, over 150 phone lines, encrypted devices, computers, weapons, cash, drugs, bank cards, and cryptocurrencies.
In recent days, police searched ten properties, including homes and businesses, in Cerdanyola and Sabadell (Barcelona). They seized many items connected to the criminal activity.
Initial analysis of the seized materials revealed databases containing bank details of thousands of people, suggesting many potential victims who haven't been identified yet. Police also found cryptocurrency wallet addresses, believed to be used to hide the stolen money.
The police are continuing to investigate to fully understand the situation, analyze the information from the seized devices, and identify everyone involved. This operation highlights the effectiveness of cooperation between different police forces and their ability to tackle complex criminal activities affecting the whole country.
The police thank the public and remind them that they can report any knowledge, signs, or suspicions of criminal activity anonymously on the police website (www.policia.es) in the "Colabora" section. Any information provided will be treated confidentially by police specialists.