With rents ranging from 800 to 1,200 euros per month, renting a home has become unaffordable for many people. A spike in online rental scams using fake leases is hitting the province of Alicante hard. In the past, these frauds focused mainly on vacation properties, but they are increasingly targeting individuals looking for a place to live. People respond to online ads expecting reasonable prices and end up losing money or their documents. This trend has created fertile ground for scammers to operate and prey on vulnerability.
Two women of Colombian origin reported an internet scam at the Alicante Police Station after trying to rent a home. The alleged scammers managed to obtain up to 1,260 euros from them. (Source: Alicante Police)
The victims are medical professionals who arrived in Spain seeking political asylum. They are currently undergoing the credential recognition process to practice in the country, while their refugee applications are being processed. They had been staying in a shared room while they searched for a permanent place to live. After three weeks of looking, they found a Facebook listing for a flat on Aguilera Avenue priced at a seemingly reasonable 400 euros per month. After making contact by phone, the advertisers offered a viewing but required an upfront payment of 110 euros and copies of their passports.
State of need
The victims recount how their urgent situation left them vulnerable. One remembered that the other party used documents to seem legitimate, which reduced their suspicions at the time. Soon after the transfer, the interlocutor claimed that reviewing the passports showed they were foreigners labeled as high risk and demanded another 400 euros, supposedly for the first month’s rent, before they could proceed. They were also asked for 350 euros for insurance. After more than an hour and a half waiting at the building entrance, doubt grew and they asked for a refund. The scammers reassured them and provided a bank account for the return, then blocked their numbers. They later discovered that other people were living in the apartment who had no connection to the advertised listing.
To their surprise, the active advertisement remained online even after the report was filed. They even used a family member in Colombia to pose as a potential client, but she was blocked when she tried to send money. The victims expressed a wish to prevent others from falling prey to the same scheme, even if their money cannot be recovered.
Police sources say the complaint is under investigation to identify the alleged scammers, focusing on the accounts that received the funds and determining whether they belong to the listed owners or if mule accounts were used. Regarding the phone numbers, officials note that scammers frequently switch numbers to avoid identification. They emphasize that this type of fraud has become more frequent in recent times.