A 59-year-old man was arrested in the Spanish coastal town of Benidorm for allegedly defrauding tourists with real estate on a large scale. He rented out properties that did not belong to him and ‘sold’ a garage to a Belgian woman, even though it was not for sale at all. Her report got the case rolling.
Source: AD.nl
The woman has an apartment in the building where the suspect lived. She wanted to buy an additional garage space and the man acted as an intermediary. The box would be hers for 22,000 euros.
The woman signed a purchase contract and transferred 2,200 euros as a down payment. But just before she flew to Benidorm to complete the purchase, the man called off the deal. The seller is said to be suffering from health problems.
The woman soon discovered that she had been scammed. The contract was forged and the garage was not for sale at all. Because the man refused to reimburse the deposit and her travel expenses (together more than 4,300 euros), she went to the police.
Tip of the iceberg
Her report turned out to be the tip of the iceberg, as can be concluded from a press release from the Spanish police. The police already had the man in their sights for a series of other real estate frauds.
His method was often the same: he offered homes for (holiday) rental, received the deposit or rent, and withdrew at the last minute with an excuse. Victims who demanded their money back were simply blocked on his phone.
When the owner went to investigate her home months later, she found strange items and residents
The scammer made a big fuss with another neighbor. He temporarily borrowed the keys to her apartment because he said he had family over.
When the owner went to investigate her home months later, she found strange items and residents. An older couple appeared to simply rent the house from the suspect for 700 euros per month.
The 59-year-old suspect was brought before the judge after questioning
More victims
Tourists also fell into his trap. For example, a Spanish holidaymaker reserved an apartment with the suspect, but upon arrival in Benidorm he stood in front of a closed door. The caretaker of the building told the tourist that he was not the first victim.
The 59-year-old suspect was brought before the judge after questioning. He is suspected of fraud, embezzlement and forgery and risks years in prison.
The police do not rule out that more victims will come forward.
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