During an investigation that lasted for nine months, the Police Criminal Investigation of Portimão have arrested in Oporto two persons responsible for around 50 crimes of aggravated fraud, consisting of false rentals of apartments for holidays. In addition their activities included the sales of expensive breeds of dogs, which did not materialise.
Initially, using the Internet they published pictures of high priced dog breeds (French Bulldogs) and created ads with appealing prices, thus encouraging people to purchase them. After paying for the dogs however customer heard nothing more and did not receive the animals.
The investigation by the PSP into this then discovered that the couples activities also involved the creation of ads on the internet in the type “OLX” or “Cost Fair”, for the letting of villas and apartments for which they were neither the owners nor acting on behalf of owners. Again the offers were made a lower prices thus encourage clients. After agreeing on the details of the transaction by phone or by computer the victims were asked to make a bank transfer to guarantee the lease. After paying the clients were unable to contact the couple concerned.
On some occasions it was only after the holiday makers had arrived in the Algarve that they found that the villa/apartment they had paid a deposit for did not exist.
The investigation started from the correlation established between a number of complaints that were being made in various PSP police stations and police stations of the GNR, thus showing that this was taking place throughout Portugal.
In consultation with the prosecutors at Portimão, arrest warrants were issued for the couple who have now been detained. Domiciliary search warrants at 8 premises also took place resulting in the seizure of various computer equipment and various documents that corroborate the facts established during the investigation.
Detainees will be present today (4th March) at the Court of Portimão for the implementation of coercive measures.
The PSP appeals to the population to take great care in using the internet to make electronic purchases, always making sure the veracity of the ads and distrusting too bargains.
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