Rent Scam

POLICE have dismantled a criminal organisation that scammed holidaymakers by charging them advance deposits for vacation rentals for properties that they did not own.

The ‘Rent Scam’ operation, whose mastermind ran the scheme from prison, led to the arrest of 29 people, with 13 others currently under investigation.

The network carried out over 128 alleged scams across Spain, targeting the province of Madrid in particular.

The gang consisted of 42 people - a quarter of whom were women - and operated in different teams led by the jailbird with a history of computer fraud.

Every gang member has been charged with computer fraud, membership of a criminal organisation, identity theft and money laundering.