Cybercriminal caught

AN alleged cybercriminal has been arrested in Alicante Province on suspicion of committing more than 230 scams and stealing the identity of 61 people and seven companies. The Guardia Civil believe the suspect could have swindled more than €55,000 by posing as official sellers on well­known websites, taking orders for non­existent products and pocketing the cash.

According to the police force, the man used four different mobile phones to divert the money from payment applications to more than 180 different bank accounts under other people’s names in order to make it ‘disappear’.

vice for at least three months uninterruptedly, not be receiving unemployment benefits or subsidies, be registered on the local padrón town census and be at least 16 years old.

Applications must be submitted at the Oficina de Atención Al ciudadano (OAC) at the town hall before July 12, for further information visit www.calp.es.

A search of his Alicante home revealed several bank cards, mobile phones and parcels of purchases made by the detainee on behalf of his victims.

The alleged criminal had been on the run for over 10 years and his arrest finally came last week after a police report was filed in Vizcaya (Basque Country).

He is accused of fraud, identity theft, money laundering and offences against industrial property.