The National Police have arrested two women in Alicante as part of an investigation into a fraudulent rental scheme operating online. The scam has affected ten victims, who collectively lost just over eleven thousand euros after being tricked by advertisements for non-existent rental properties. The investigation began following multiple complaints that revealed a pattern of deception involving supposed rental offers on online platforms.

Victims were contacted via instant messaging by the alleged landlord, who would request bank transfers or app payments as deposits. After receiving the transferred funds, the communication ceased, leaving victims without the promised accommodation and with no means to recover their money. The primary suspect employed ‘money mules’ to facilitate the transactions, instead of using her own bank accounts.

One of these accomplices, a thirty-eight-year-old woman in a vulnerable financial situation, was also arrested. She had believed she was accepting a job to manage rentals and provided her banking details, allowing the scammer complete access to her account. When she realised she had been scammed, she attempted to contact the main suspect but was blocked.

Authorities have traced further contacts to other women across various provinces, indicating a wider network potentially involved in the scam. The two arrested women have been brought before the courts, and the investigation remains open as police explore the possibility of additional victims and accomplices linked to this fraudulent operation.