July 21, 2009
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News: Barcelona Police Arrest 17 in CC Scam
Barcelona law enforcement officers arrested 17 individuals in connection to a ring of credit card thieves that racked up thousands of dollars in merchandise. The investigation which began earlier this year was sparked after a number of individuals, including many tourists, notified authorities of unauthorized charges to their credit card accounts. Upon investigation, authorities were able to hone in on a small group of shops located in Barcelona and several other Spanish towns where most of the fraudulent charges transpired. Continued investigation lead to a known criminal, Mohamed E.A., with a background in fraudulent activities associated with stolen credit cards. Mohamed E.A. was arrested in 2005 and charged with similar online scams.
Police have alleged that Mohamed E.A. is the ring leader of the credit card scam. He along with his accomplices were able to obtain the stolen credit card information to falsify documents and act quickly to purchase several large ticket items including televisions and cameras. They also visited several local shops in Barcelona, Hospitalet de Llobregat, and Sant Boi de Llobregat to make purchases of high priced sunglasses, liquor, and tobacco. According to police records, Mohamed E.A. posing as a typical businessman, took the merchandise and proceeded to sell the goods for approximately one third of the retail value to his contacts.
A search of many of the 17 arrested thieves uncovered many of the objects that had been purchased with the stolen credit cards. The total value of the fraudulent charges have not yet been determined. In wake of the fact that many of the victims were foreigners, Barcelona officials believe it will take several months for the international banking system to completely resolve the issue. Meanwhile, if you visited Barcelona in the past year, it would be wise to keep a close eye on your card statements and notify your bank immediately if you notice any suspicious activity.