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The Civil Guard has arrested 30 people in different regions of Spain suspected of defrauding victims from different countries, including Portugal, of more than a million euros, using a scheme commonly known as "man in the middle". Among those arrested are two leaders of a criminal organization.
The Civil Guard statement explains that Operation Osgiliat is involved, which "also identified 40 other alleged perpetrators, most of whom live in Spain, but also in Croatia, Hungary, England, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan and Romania, whose identities have been brought to the attention of the court and the authorities of these countries.
In just one year, the office explains, "more than 100 victims were found in Spain, Germany, Andorra, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ecuador, Slovenia, Finland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and Romania who were deceived by a criminal organization."
The investigation began in May last year after "a complaint from a construction company that was defrauded of more than 10,000 euros using a method known as 'man in the middle". In this type of cyber attack, also known as "CEO Fraud" (business email compromise),"criminals invade conversations between two or more devices, usually a vendor and its customers.
The fraudster "gets access to conversations between them and intercepts those that relate to payments, in which he pretends to be a supplier and changes the information so that the victim makes transfers to the criminal's account number."
On the other hand, "by impersonating a customer, they negotiate with the supplier to extend the payment deadlines, thus gaining time." When the victim makes a transfer, "the fraudster stops interfering in conversations, and that's when the scam is revealed." Guardia confirmed that the suspects "used other methods of cyber fraud."
Posing as real companies, they advertised cars, agricultural machinery, and vacation rental properties." To do this, "they created fake websites where they offered one of these products, which they didn't actually have, at a competitive price and under the name of a solvent brand, even using the real VAT number of the company they were pretending to be, but providing an email address created by the scammers as a contact person."".
As soon as the attention of those interested in purchasing one of the products is attracted, "they start an email conversation in which, among other things, they ask the victim to provide a copy of their identity document, which they use to enter into contracts for financial products (bank accounts or loans) using a usurped identity."
The amount that was cheated in these cases "is the amount requested for booking a vehicle, machine tool or house."
Another way to get hold of the data of people whose identities they usurp "is through false job offers that they advertise widely."
When the victim takes the bait, "they request documentation and personal data under the pretext of registering a contract, but in reality they are being used to carry out criminal activities."
To transfer money received from fraudsters, "the organization had a network of intermediaries, to whom it paid commissions in the amount of 50 to 1500 euros.
When the money ended up in the accounts of criminals, they withdrew it from ATMs, invested it in virtual currencies, or transferred it to accounts in the Republic of Malta and the Republic of Lithuania."
The Civil Guard continues to study the traces of these transfers. The operation was carried out in two stages, the first in December 2023, during which five people were arrested in the cities of Getafe (Madrid), Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), Moratalla (Murcia) and Pegalajar (Jaen), and in the second stage, which ended on March 12, another 25 people were arrested. They were arrested in the cities of Lloret de Mar (Girona) and Barcelona.
A total of 30 people, 19 men and 11 women, aged between 19 and 56, were arrested. The 40 people identified were 29 men and 11 women aged 20 to 45 years.
The case was referred to the Investigative Court No. 4 of Alicante.
153 bank accounts were also seized and EUR 114,366 was recovered as a result of fraud committed by the group.
The operation involved the Alicante Prosecutor's Office for Computer Crimes, EUROPOL and police forces from 22 countries.
• Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/en...urla-de-mais-de-um-milhao-vitimas-em-portugal
The Civil Guard statement explains that Operation Osgiliat is involved, which "also identified 40 other alleged perpetrators, most of whom live in Spain, but also in Croatia, Hungary, England, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan and Romania, whose identities have been brought to the attention of the court and the authorities of these countries.
In just one year, the office explains, "more than 100 victims were found in Spain, Germany, Andorra, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ecuador, Slovenia, Finland, the Netherlands, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and Romania who were deceived by a criminal organization."
The investigation began in May last year after "a complaint from a construction company that was defrauded of more than 10,000 euros using a method known as 'man in the middle". In this type of cyber attack, also known as "CEO Fraud" (business email compromise),"criminals invade conversations between two or more devices, usually a vendor and its customers.
The fraudster "gets access to conversations between them and intercepts those that relate to payments, in which he pretends to be a supplier and changes the information so that the victim makes transfers to the criminal's account number."
On the other hand, "by impersonating a customer, they negotiate with the supplier to extend the payment deadlines, thus gaining time." When the victim makes a transfer, "the fraudster stops interfering in conversations, and that's when the scam is revealed." Guardia confirmed that the suspects "used other methods of cyber fraud."
Posing as real companies, they advertised cars, agricultural machinery, and vacation rental properties." To do this, "they created fake websites where they offered one of these products, which they didn't actually have, at a competitive price and under the name of a solvent brand, even using the real VAT number of the company they were pretending to be, but providing an email address created by the scammers as a contact person."".
As soon as the attention of those interested in purchasing one of the products is attracted, "they start an email conversation in which, among other things, they ask the victim to provide a copy of their identity document, which they use to enter into contracts for financial products (bank accounts or loans) using a usurped identity."
The amount that was cheated in these cases "is the amount requested for booking a vehicle, machine tool or house."
Another way to get hold of the data of people whose identities they usurp "is through false job offers that they advertise widely."
When the victim takes the bait, "they request documentation and personal data under the pretext of registering a contract, but in reality they are being used to carry out criminal activities."
To transfer money received from fraudsters, "the organization had a network of intermediaries, to whom it paid commissions in the amount of 50 to 1500 euros.
When the money ended up in the accounts of criminals, they withdrew it from ATMs, invested it in virtual currencies, or transferred it to accounts in the Republic of Malta and the Republic of Lithuania."
The Civil Guard continues to study the traces of these transfers. The operation was carried out in two stages, the first in December 2023, during which five people were arrested in the cities of Getafe (Madrid), Talavera de la Reina (Toledo), Moratalla (Murcia) and Pegalajar (Jaen), and in the second stage, which ended on March 12, another 25 people were arrested. They were arrested in the cities of Lloret de Mar (Girona) and Barcelona.
A total of 30 people, 19 men and 11 women, aged between 19 and 56, were arrested. The 40 people identified were 29 men and 11 women aged 20 to 45 years.
The case was referred to the Investigative Court No. 4 of Alicante.
153 bank accounts were also seized and EUR 114,366 was recovered as a result of fraud committed by the group.
The operation involved the Alicante Prosecutor's Office for Computer Crimes, EUROPOL and police forces from 22 countries.
• Source: https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/en...urla-de-mais-de-um-milhao-vitimas-em-portugal
