Sixty Detained in Timeshare Fraud Affecting British Pensioners in Malaga Region

According to the national police, sixty members of a criminal network who preyed on retired British expatriates have been arrested. Using a telesales team these crooks offered to purchase timeshares at very attractive prices. The owners of these properties would have to pay a sum to proceed with the sale.

The British victims rumoured to be around 500 and who were defrauded of amounts between 300 to 50,000 euros have not as yet come forward.

The gang not content at having taking huge amounts of cash from the victims, dismantled the operation and called the pensioners again, this time posing as a group of lawyers offering their services to bring the criminals to justice and to recoup the losses incurred, in this way extracting even more money from the victims in the process.

The final phrase of this fraud, was to call the clients to say that the lawyers (impostors) had obtained a satisfactory result in the courts. Now the affected just had to make a final payment to recoup their funds.

The mainly British criminal gang who have been carrying out these operations since 2009 are thought to have made illicit gains of over 30,000,000 euros. In the police swoop, over a million euros in assets have been confiscated. This in consideration for those swindled should a judge so demand.

This is not an original swindle so please, if anyone receives calls from a telesales team with attractive offers for your property or if you are told that there is already a buyer in place, make searches of the company, where they are located and if registered as a business. Never sign a contract until proven as legal by a reputable solicitor.

For anyone who believes they may have been tricked by this criminal network, please contact us. myra@citizensadvice.org.es

or if you prefer to speak with one of our reputable lawyers,

juan.espejo@citizensadvice.org.es

Please note: The information provided is based upon our understanding of current legislation. It is not legal advice but is provided freely to enable you to be properly informed. We recommend that if you are considering taking action, you should seek professional advice.