This report details a major cybercrime operation conducted by Alicante National Police against a sprawling love fraud network. The scheme defrauded more than a million euros from victims across Europe, with at least twenty people affected. The operation, coordinated by the Economic and Financial Crime Unit (UDEF) of the Alicante Provincial Judicial Police Brigade, began after a complaint from a resident of Alicante who was deceived by an impostor claiming to be a sailor. A total of 15 suspects were arrested in Palma de Mallorca and one in Malaga, highlighting the scale of this European police effort. Police describe the operation as one of the largest cybercrime takedowns in the European Union, with collaboration across islands and mainland Spain, and the cooperation of Mallorca and Malaga authorities during what investigators named Operation Maritime.
According to the authorities, the criminal network operated many false profiles on dating sites and social networks. Through these accounts, they contacted an Alicante woman, gradually earning her trust and convincing her that the relationship involved a cyber connection with a United States Marine Corps member stationed abroad.
The fake sailor conducted numerous video calls, portraying an exemplary acting persona. The victim remained convinced for years that a genuine romantic relationship would eventually develop. Yet the true aim was to extract money through deception, with the communications and emotional manipulation serving as cover for ongoing financial exploitation. The scheme relied on various pretexts to request funds, including payments for wages, certificates, travel expenses, life safety measures, and bribes.
Ultimately, the ruse resulted in the chilling sum of 835,000 euros being taken. The fraud extended beyond sole losses as the victim was persuaded to drain savings and even take out personal loans to transfer money to the impostor. Investigators observed up to 75 separate bank transfers, often routed through accounts in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Spain. In a further move of desperation, a cash-filled package was sent to the scammer via a courier service.
Expert cybercriminals
Alicante UDEF investigators followed the money for months and confirmed the existence of a criminal organization that operated a Europe-wide network of cyber fraud. Following the Alicante complaint, the National Police identified roughly twenty victims across many countries, including Lithuania, Germany, Italy, Romania, Luxembourg, Finland, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, and Spain. The frauds have exceeded one million euros, and the investigation remains active.
The organization was described as a layered operation with a core group and supporting roles. The bottom rung, or mules,
involved in transferring illicit funds to bank accounts, passed through a higher echelon that moved the money abroad, primarily to Malaysia and Indonesia. The sheer volume of money defrauded led some funds to be converted into bitcoins to free up capital and facilitate concealment.
One visual record from the operation shows the heavy investigative work undertaken by the UDEF of the Alicante Police. The money trail led investigators to Malaga, where a leading figure was arrested at the start of May. A search of the suspect’s home yielded computer equipment that helped push the investigation forward.
Fifteen arrests were carried out on the island of Majorca in early October, including the network’s head. Authorities described the ringleader as a 27-year-old Nigerian who supervised fourteen other detainees, including several mules responsible for collecting money from victims and transferring it to Malaysia and Indonesia. Electronic devices and seized materials are currently awaiting analysis, with investigators hoping to clarify many episodes of the broader love deception” that spanned the European Union. A large number of mobile devices and prepaid cards were seized, tools used by the group to communicate covertly with victims, along with forged documents used by the leader to impersonate various individuals.
25 crimes solved
The National Police report confirms substantial progress, clarifying more than 25 fraud cases linked to this love deception across Europe. Sixteen detainees, aged 19 to 31 and of Nigerian, Mexican, Romanian, Spanish, Colombian, Dominican, and Cuban nationality, have been brought to justice for fraud, forged documents, and organized crime involvement. The force emphasizes the need for caution when engaging with strangers online, noting that many specialized criminal groups based abroad use internet channels to contact potential victims in the country. They often present themselves as trustworthy online friends before persuading victims to reveal savings or take out loans to fund the scam.