The National Police have arrested four men aged between 21 and 33 in Elche, suspected of belonging to an organised group that used other people’s bank cards to buy high-end mobile phones online. The devices were allegedly resold on the second-hand market. Investigators have linked the group to at least seven fraud offences in Alicante, Elche, Murcia and Cartagena, involving more than €10,500.

The investigation began after a department store’s security team detected a fraudulent mobile phone purchase and connected it to a second order made with a different bank card. Officers monitored the controlled delivery of the second package and arrested three men when they arrived to collect it. They found two sealed mobile phones and another package from the same retailer in their possession and vehicle.

Investigators later identified a fourth suspect, who was arrested in Elche. Officers found several high-end electronic devices at his home. Police say the group posed as store security staff and used social engineering to obtain customers’ verification codes or temporary passwords, allowing them to access online accounts and make expensive purchases.

The operation has recovered goods worth around €4,500. Police will try to return them to their owners once they have been identified. The four suspects have appeared before Elche’s duty investigating courts, while inquiries continue into possible further offences.