- 30 fraud complaints have been filed in Alicante involving the same pattern of fake SMS scams
- The organization operated mainly from Barcelona, using advanced techniques to impersonate banking institutions
- 16 people have been arrested and electronic devices, documents, and substantial digital evidence have been seized
July 29, 2025 – As part of Operation Fake Link, the Spanish Civil Guard has arrested 16 individuals accused of multiple offenses, including fraud, money laundering, and membership in a criminal organization. The suspects orchestrated a sophisticated campaign to impersonate banks and steal personal and financial information. In the province of Alicante alone, investigators have recorded 30 cases with total losses exceeding €256,000.
The investigation began in October 2023 when a citizen in Callosa de Segura reported receiving a suspicious SMS, allegedly from their bank, warning of unusual activity. The message included a fraudulent link to a cloned website that prompted the victim to enter their login credentials. This pattern was repeated with many victims, all deceived through advanced social engineering tactics.
One key technique used was SMS Spoofing, which allowed the scammers to make the fake messages appear in the same conversation thread as legitimate ones from the victim’s bank. The messages conveyed a sense of urgency and had convincing links, tricking victims into sharing their personal and banking information.
Once the scammers had access to an account, they would call the victim, pretending to be bank employees, and persuade them to transfer money to a so-called “secure” account. In reality, these accounts belonged to money mules—individuals recruited by the group to lend their bank accounts in exchange for a cut of the stolen funds.
The criminal operation was structured into three distinct levels:
- Leaders and Technicians – responsible for registering fake domains, hiring SMS platforms, and creating fraudulent websites.
- Communicators – contacted the victims and orchestrated the deception.
- Mules and Cash Collectors – received the stolen funds, withdrew cash from ATMs, and handed it over to the organizers.
Speed was essential to avoid detection: in many cases, the funds were withdrawn within two hours of the victim entering their credentials. Some of the money was later converted into cryptocurrency using unverified platforms.
The Civil Guard seized a range of electronic devices, documentation, and digital evidence, all of which have been handed over to Investigative Court No. 3 in Orihuela (Alicante). A total of 38 bank accounts linked to the suspects have also been frozen.
Of the 16 individuals arrested—12 men and 4 women between the ages of 20 and 50, from various nationalities—15 were detained in Barcelona and one in Alicante. All face charges of criminal organization membership, money laundering, and fraud, and have been placed at the disposal of judicial authorities.
To avoid becoming a victim of similar scams, the Civil Guard recommends the following:
- Never click on links received via SMS or email unless you are absolutely sure of the sender.
- Be suspicious of messages warning about suspicious activity that include clickable links.
- Never share your banking credentials or verification codes by phone or through links.
- Always contact your bank directly through official channels if you have doubts.
- Report any suspicious activity immediately or call 062.
