Police warn expats in Spain of scam targeting vulnerable women on social networks

THE National Police have issued a warning to women living in Spain of a scam targeting people who use Facebook.

Over the past few months, there have been multiple cases of women across the country who have been scammed out of thousands of euros by a criminal gang operating in Spain.

The group target vulnerable women, establishing romantic relationships with them, and once gaining their trust they ask that money is transferred to help them fix their car or pay their rent.

As reported by the police, officers were able to link the scam to the same criminal gang after a 47-year-old woman from Zaragoza came forward to report that she had been defrauded out of €18,500 by a man who promised her love but then disappeared without a trace.

Through analysing transactions made on her bank account, the police were able to arrest a man who is well known for his membership in a criminal organisation dedicated to fraud. Although he has been remanded in custody, police believe that other members of the group are still operating and advise women to not hand any of their money over to someone that they have met online under any circumstances.