Police Detain Suspect in Major Series of 'Surgical' Phone Scams. A man suspected of deceiving dozens of elderly people has been detained in Madrid. Victims were pressured to urgently hand over their savings under the pretense of rescuing relatives. Police disclosed details of the scheme and the investigation is ongoing.
In Madrid, police have detained a 44-year-old man suspected of a series of telephone scams targeting elderly residents of the capital and other regions of Spain. According to investigators, the perpetrators called people aged 80 to 100, posing as hospital staff and reporting an allegedly urgent surgery required for their children. The victims were persuaded that, without the immediate transfer of money or gold jewelry, their relative faced amputation or even death.
Pressure scheme and money collection
The organizers used psychological pressure: during the call, a voice could be heard in the background, imitating a crying son or daughter, while the 'doctor' demanded that all valuables be urgently gathered. In most cases, the victims were instructed to put cash and jewelry into a bag and throw it out the window, where a courier would immediately collect it. If this was not possible, a meeting was arranged or someone came to the door. The courier always wore a mask or had their face covered to avoid identification.
Control over the victims
To prevent victims from contacting relatives or the police, the scammers blocked both phone lines: if the conversation was held on a landline, they would ask for the mobile phone to be picked up and both lines kept busy until the valuables were handed over. Sometimes, the victim was asked to read out the banknote serial numbers to buy time. If anyone tried to call a relative, the scammers assured them that the person was already in the hospital or undergoing surgery. If the connection was interrupted, they called back just a few seconds later.
Geography and scale
Victims have been identified in the districts of Carabanchel, Fuencarral-El Pardo, Usera-Villaverde, as well as in Torrejón de Ardoz, Alicante, and Murcia. At this time, police are investigating 13 confirmed incidents, but according to investigators, the number of victims could reach a hundred. The total damage is estimated at €500,000, including cash and jewelry.
Response and consequences
Some victims experienced severe emotional distress and even heart attacks after realizing they had been deceived. In one case, a woman who believed her daughter had been hospitalized went to Getafe Hospital, where she found out that the incident described had not occurred. The scammers then convinced her to travel to another city, but along the way she contacted relatives via messenger and was able to cut off communication with the criminals.
Police detained a suspect as he tried to escape on an electric scooter after receiving another batch of valuables. During a search of his home, items were found and have already been returned to their owners. The operation is ongoing, and investigators are looking for other members of the group.
Fraud cases exploiting trust and fear for loved ones are becoming increasingly sophisticated. In similar situations involving the vulnerability of the elderly, other incidents have previously been recorded, for example, when families of Francoist victims in Madrid protested against judicial prosecution, underscoring the importance of protecting the most vulnerable groups — more on this topic can be found in the article about the protest of families of Francoist victims near the courthouse.
