They’ve been dubbed the Bin Ladens of Torrevieja after evading justice for over 10 years before finally being found hiding out in a boarded up flat in the Alicante town.
The 36-year-old man and 44-year-old woman were arrested in November over their years-long rental scam, which allegedly targeted prospective tenants across Andalucia, the Balearics, Valencia and elsewhere.
The Guardia Civil tracked them down to an unassuming property in Torrevieja, where they lived with the blinds permanently closed, only using cash and rarely stepping foot outside.
The pair, wanted for 49 counts of fraud and four counts of identity theft, allegedly continued scamming tenants from their flat in the Alicante coastal town.
In total, they had more than 60 active judicial warrants out against them, most linked to the illicit rental of properties that did not exist.
How the scam worked
Investigators say the duo targeted people searching for rental homes on online platforms. They would reply to adverts and offer attractive properties at below-market rates, asking for personal documentation from would-be tenants.
Using these documents, they created fake contracts and sent photos of supposed landlords – which were actually the identities of previous victims whose details had been stolen.
Once trust was established, the scammers instructed victims to pay deposits through cardless cash withdrawal codes generated via online banking. These codes allowed the fraudsters to instantly withdraw the money at ATMs.
The suspects had been living in Torrevieja since 2022 but are believed to have been operating similar scams since at least 2015.
They allegedly used victims’ personal information to contact new targets and to activate large numbers of prepaid SIM cards, sometimes registering up to six lines under the same stolen identity in just a few days.
Dozens of victims across Spain
The couple’s record is extensive: 62 judicial notices, including 41 arrest warrants, three orders for immediate imprisonment, and numerous requests to establish their whereabouts.
Courts across Spain, from Alicante and Malaga to Asturias, Cadiz, Girona, Barcelona, Valencia, Cantabria and Melilla, had active files on them.
So far, 53 victims have been identified in a long list of provinces, including A Coruña, Alicante, Almeria, Asturias, Avila, Badajoz, Cadiz, Castellon, Ciudad Real, Cordoba, Granada, Guipuzcoa, Huelva, Jaen, Las Palmas, Leon, Lugo, Madrid, Malaga, Murcia, Navarra, Sevilla, Tenerife, Toledo and Valencia.
Many victims not only suffered financial loss but also had their identities compromised, leading to police summonses and judicial notifications from regions they had never even visited.
Once the pair were located in November, officers raided their Torrevieja home. Inside, they seized material linked to 25 different phone lines, five mobile phones, two tablets, clothing allegedly used in the scams, and other incriminating items. They also found 20 grams of marijuana and signs of recent cocaine use.
The detainees were brought before Torrevieja’s Court of Instruction, which ordered both of them to be remanded in prison.
Guardia Civil advice: How to avoid rental scams
Authorities remind renters to follow key precautions:
- Verify a landlord’s identity with a DNI and a property registry certificate.
- Never pay deposits before signing and confirming a contract.
- Use secure payment platforms.
- Be wary of prices that seem ‘too good to be true’.
- Visit the property in person whenever possible.
