Edition 187
www.thecourier.es
Friday, September 19, 2014
COPPING A CON Fake police magazine nets millions of euros By ALEX TRELINSKI The National Police have smashed a locally based scam which involved a 15 million euro fraud in people being enticed to put adverts in bogus police relatedmagazines. Cops have swooped on 52 people, 49 of which were based in Elche, who are alleged to have tricked 150 thousand selfemployed workers and small businesses over 14 years by pretending to be representing the police. The arrests were made in eight raids across Elche, Madrid and Barcelona at the conclusion of a twoyear 'megafraud' investigation by the National Police. The cops seized 46 thousand euros in cash, three cars and a motorcycle, plus IT equipment including seven servers. 32 of the people arrest ed have had their assets and bank accounts frozen. Officers uncovered the fraud that had been "planned,
developed and perfected" over 14 years, with the scam involving owners of small and mediumsized companies the chance to place adverts in policethemed magazines, both in print and online, usually at a cost of less than 400 euros. Victims, including many around the Costa Blanca and Murcia regions, were told that the publications would be dis tributed in police stations and other official institutions. But the magazines were cheap, poorly printed copies of official magazines on basic printing presses (pictured) that were only ever sent to the victims themselves. The sophisticated scam included the creation of 30 web pages which were full of information on policing matters as well as forming 60 “shell”companies that were used to laun der money, with the organisation employing three solicitors to help them in their work. The fraudsters were said to have used hardsell telemarketing techniques to persuade people to part with their cash. They passed themselves off as rep resenting the Guardia Civil or the National Police in order to coerce their 'customers'. Many of those targeted were elder ly or experiencing financial difficulties. The National Police searched eight houses in the Elche area and seized nearly 46 thousand euros in cash, as well a number of internet servers, one of which was actually hidden in the roof of one of the addresses of the “shell” companies. Three cars and a motor cycle were also seized by the authori ties. The investigation started two years ago when the police spotted complaints about alleged fraud appearing on vari ous internet sites, as well as allegations that were directly made to them from small business owners who were conned into placing the adverts.
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