A case handled by authorities in Alicante involved a 47-year-old man accused of fraud and document falsification. The investigation centered on the misuse of loyalty points tied to a client’s joint account for DIY material, construction, and decoration purchases. The suspect allegedly used those points to obtain a gift valued at 689.64 euros. Police reports indicate that the individual attempted four additional purchases on the same account and a further attempt at 212.04 euros.
The affected customer contacted law enforcement after noticing a marked decrease in the balance from prior purchases. This drop suggested unauthorized shopping at one of the state’s establishments, prompting an internal review and police involvement.
The account in question had accumulated a substantial amount of loyalty points, effectively acting as a store credit for future purchases. This balance was particularly meaningful because it was earmarked for a large home renovation project. Each eligible purchase generated a 3 percent return in loyalty value, a rate that underscored the potential impact of any misuse.
The account holder observed that a third person, in addition to her husband, appeared to be managing the account without her knowledge. Although she did not recognize this individual, she noticed that the score had fallen by as much as seven hundred euros. The discrepancy drew the attention of the multinational company’s security division.
fraudulent use
Security personnel from the Northern Territory Police Station II, along with the Investigation Group, opened a formal inquiry. During the investigation, officials learned that the same individual attempted a new purchase exceeding two hundred euros. The security team also suspected that another person could be fraudulently using the points in the victim’s account, a possibility that warranted alerting the National Police to prevent further unauthorized transactions and to identify any other potential victims.
The suspect was taken into custody on charges of fraud and document falsification after giving a statement at the police station. He remained in custody awaiting further legal proceedings.
Authorities believe that the incident involved manipulation of the customer database to authorize additional users to access the victim’s partner account without consent, enabling shopping with the balance shown in the account. At this time, it remains unclear how many other individuals may have been affected, and the investigation continues to determine the full scope of the case.