A 49-year-old woman in Castellón is accused of stealing nearly €24,000 from the bank account of an elderly woman she cared for. The investigation began after the victim’s family reviewed her finances following her death and found a series of unauthorized cash withdrawals.
Information from the Policía Nacional, the family discovered the missing funds when they went to the bank to settle and close the deceased woman’s accounts. Large sums had been withdrawn over several months without the knowledge or approval of any relatives. The transactions did not match the elderly woman’s spending habits. She was described as highly vulnerable, with limited mobility and a need for constant medical attention.
Investigators found that the withdrawals coincided with the period when the caregiver was responsible for the woman’s daily needs. They reportedly stopped when the elderly woman was hospitalized shortly before her death. Police believe the caregiver’s close involvement, including accompanying the victim to the bank and helping with transactions, allowed her to learn the bank card’s PIN code.
Further inquiries revealed that the caregiver also sold a piece of jewelry belonging to the deceased, again without the family’s knowledge. Authorities accuse her of fraud and theft, and estimate the total financial loss at €24,000. The allegations do not establish guilt. The case raises concerns about the financial exploitation of older people, particularly when they depend on others for daily care.
A separate case investigated by the Guardia Civil in Brihuega, Guadalajara, shows how unusual banking activity can bring suspected exploitation to light. A bank alerted authorities to repeated withdrawals from the account of an 89-year-old man. Investigators linked the transactions to a woman who frequently visited him. The withdrawals were made at the same nighttime ATM and reached the authorized daily limit of €1,000.
Spain’s Policía Nacional addresses risks to older people through its Plan Mayor Seguridad, which offers prevention guidance on scams and the fraudulent use of funds held in bank accounts or savings books. Wider fraud figures provide context, though they do not measure caregiver theft: a Fundación Pere Tarrés briefing reported more than 38,000 computer-fraud complaints involving people over 65 in Spain in 2023. In a survey cited by the foundation, 21.8% of older respondents said they had experienced an online scam. The figure rose to 28.2% among those over 80.
This incident comes amid a broader trend of financial crimes targeting vulnerable populations in Spain. In a related case, law enforcement recently dismantled a criminal group responsible for a series of bank robberies across multiple provinces, as detailed in this report on coordinated police operations against organized theft.
The Castellón case highlights the need for attentive financial oversight when an older person relies on others for daily care. Police also warn about schemes targeting older people, including fraudsters who impersonate medical professionals and use claims of urgent treatment to pressure victims into handing over cash or valuables. The Policía Nacional advises people to verify such claims independently and report suspected incidents promptly.
