In the city of Huesca, officers of the National Police have detained a 16-year-old suspected of assisting bank fraudsters. The teenager was tracked down via the popular social network TikTok, where he responded to an offer to provide a bank account for money transfers. In exchange, he was promised a share of the amount that was to be funneled through his account.
The teenager provided the bank details of his grandmother’s account. Nearly four thousand euros were deposited into this account—money that, as later revealed, had been stolen from a resident of Guadalajara using a fake SMS sent in the name of a bank. The victim, believing the message, followed the link and instructions from the scammers, after which the funds were transferred to the account provided by the detained minor.
Fraud scheme
After receiving the money, the teenager transferred part of it to another account specified by the organizers of the scheme. He spent the remaining funds on a new mobile phone. Police refer to such participants as ‘mules’—people who help criminals cash out or transfer stolen money, often without fully understanding the consequences of their actions.
In this case, it was a so-called ‘vishing’ scam—a type of fraud where perpetrators pose as bank employees to trick victims into performing specific actions. Using social engineering techniques, scammers gain access to the client’s online banking and transfer money to accounts under assumed names.
The role of social networks
Particular attention in this case is drawn to the role of social networks. It was through TikTok that the teenager was found and lured into the criminal scheme. In such ads, scammers look for people willing to provide their bank accounts for a reward. Often, minors become victims, not fully realizing that they are engaging in criminal activity.
Police stress that these schemes are dangerous not only for the victims whose money is stolen, but also for the so-called ‘mules.’ Organizers of criminal groups may threaten or even retaliate against those who do not comply with their demands. In addition, participating in such operations carries serious criminal liability.
Investigation ongoing
Investigators are currently working to establish who was behind organizing this scam. The provincial police unit in Huesca tasked with investigating these crimes is working to identify all participants and their roles in the scheme. Law enforcement reminds the public that even providing your account once for someone else’s money transfers can result in charges of fraud and money laundering.
In recent months, Spain has seen a noticeable increase in such crimes involving intermediaries and new technologies. Scammers are actively using social networks, messaging apps, and fake messages to find new victims and accomplices. Police urge citizens to stay vigilant and not agree to suspicious offers, even if they seem like an easy way to make money.
