Mother and two children arrested in scam that left victims homeless

The Guardia Civil has arrested a woman and her two children for scamming dozens of people looking for accommodation in a major Costa Blanca town. The woman, 53, and her two children, a 24-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man, tricked their victims, many of whom were low-income, into paying either a security deposit or first month’s rent on a property in Torrevieja, Alicante, after which they never heard back from them again.

Victims ‘ghosted’ after viewing a property and paying the first months’ rent

The investigation began after Guardia Civil officers detected an increase in property fraud reports, all following an identical pattern. All the victims of the scam had made contact with the woman via social media. The woman was offering a property to rent in Torrevieja, and after showing them around the home, she would collect an upfront payment, either the first month of rent or the security deposit. Once she received the money, she would disappear, ceasing all communication with the victims.

According to investigators, the woman would introduce herself to the ‘tenants’ using a stolen identity card from a woman who looked like her. During a search of the suspects’ residence, investigators found a large number of forged documents.

Many of the victims were left devastated by the scam, as a large portion of them were low-income families who were stripped of their savings and left homeless.

Three suspects face charges of fraud, identity theft, and more

The three detainees have been brought before the courts and face eight charges relating to fraud, identity theft, document forgery, and membership of a criminal organisation.

“Do not trust advance payments without a signed contract,” stated the Guardia Civil in a post on X about the arrests.

How to protect yourself against rental scams in Spain

With rental fraud continuing to pose a risk to people searching for affordable accommodation, anyone looking for a property should take careful steps to verify that the listing is genuine before transferring any money to the landlord. This includes viewing the property in person, checking that the person offering it has the right to rent it out, and asking to see identification and documentation proving their connection to the property.

Tenants should also be wary of landlords who apply pressure to secure a deposit quickly, offer unusually cheap rents or insist on receiving money before allowing a viewing. Scammers may use stolen photographs, copied property listings or fake identity documents to make fraudulent offers appear legitimate.

Where possible, payments should be made through traceable methods, with receipts kept for all transactions. Tenants should avoid sending money to accounts belonging to unrelated third parties and should ensure that the rental agreement clearly identifies the landlord, the property, the agreed rent and any deposit required.

What to do if you suspect you have been scammed

Anyone who suspects they have been targeted by a rental scam should keep copies of messages, advertisements, contracts, bank transfers and other evidence. They should contact their bank as soon as possible to ask whether the payment can be stopped or recovered, and report the suspected fraud to the Guardia Civil or the Spanish National Police.

Finally, people who have already lost money should report the incident even if they believe there is little chance of recovering it. Their complaint could help investigators identify links between cases and prevent further victims from falling into the same trap.