Department representatives against cybercrime report on a central unit that dismantled a criminal network focused on selling products through counterfeit online storefronts run by a gang under the Civil Guard. The operation led to the closure of 70 fraudulent web pages and the arrest of seven individuals connected to the scheme.
The fake sites advertised a broad range of electronics and home goods, including televisions, washing machines, and game consoles. Some pages even claimed to feature portable pools or sofas. Prices were markedly below typical market values, with discounts and promotions that exceeded normal sales offers, aiming to attract a large influx of buyers.
To boost visibility, the perpetrators paid substantial sums to secure top positions on major search engines. After a buyer completed a purchase and completed a bank transfer, the items never arrived, and contact with the sellers became impossible.
Their deceptive practices were amplified by negative feedback and reviews posted by victims on the network. Complaints of non-delivery and misleading offers prompted warnings from the sites themselves, discouraging further interaction with the stores and highlighting the risk to potential customers.
In some cases, the explanation given for delayed or missing shipments claimed that the discounted prices came from joint purchases of large quantities from multiple providers, with expectations of shipping and delivery in subsequent months. Even in those cases, the promised items were not delivered.
hacked website
Investigations into these criminal groups have progressed by identifying members and taking down the sites within the jurisdiction where the servers are hosted. An additional investigative approach involved locating the server infrastructure and taking physical action to intervene.
This strategy allowed authorities to display warning banners featuring the logos of the Mossos d’Esquadra and the Civil Guard, informing potential customers that the site had been altered. Access to the content of the examined pages was blocked, serving as a deterrent to would-be victims and disrupting the operation of the fraud network.
The intervention produced an immediate protective effect for the public and helped prevent a surge in new victims. On the first day following the actions, approximately 1,000 individuals were considered potential targets of these scams.
Result of the intervention
The inquiry revealed that the scammers had established at least 70 counterfeit web pages, and the overall scope of the fraud was estimated to involve about 4,000 victims and roughly 2.5 million euros in gains. These figures, however, are provisional and subject to change after further analysis of the seized material from the operation.
On Monday, June 27, a joint operation involved eight entry and search teams, with six executed at residences and two at commercial properties, conducted across municipalities in Vallès Oriental. Seven members of the investigated group were arrested in locations including Bigues i Riells, La Roca del Vallès, Llicà d’Amunt, and Granollers.
During searches, authorities seized electronic devices, computers, various documents, cryptocurrency wallets, multiple hard drives, and a server. The investigation remains active, and the existence of third-party involvement or additional victims remains possible as the analysis of the seized material continues.