11 arrested for alleged internet fraud.

11 arrested for alleged internet fraud. | A. Sepulveda

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterMajorca-International12/05/2020 11:05
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11 people have been arrested for allegedly scamming people out of more than 2.4 million euros in a number of countries via the Internet.

They allegedly deceived employees by sending an email pretending to be their boss and asking them to transfer money.

The suspects have been charged with alleged fraud, money laundering and membership of a criminal organisation.

More than a hundred bank accounts were allegedly used to defraud companies in Italy, the Czech Republic, the United States, Lebanon, China, Kazakhstan and the Netherlands.

An investigation was launched in mid-2018 after complaints were made against a group of alleged cybercriminals specialising in phishing fraud.

They reportedly set up a complex network of 150 bank accounts involving intermediaries and “mules" to hide the source of the money and hid the identification of the final addressees.

Researchers identified 16 people, one in Palma, another in Maspalomas in Gran Canaria, two in Ibiza and twelve in Valencia. 11 of them have been arrested and the other five are still under investigation but have been released.