Spanish Police Dismantle Group Extorting Over 250 Victims Through Sexually Explicit Online Ads

In a significant operation, the Spanish Guardia Civil has successfully dismantled a criminal group accused of extorting more than 250 individuals who responded to sexually explicit ads on social media and dating websites. The investigation, which began in 2023, has led to the arrest of four men involved in the scheme.

The Extortion Method

The group's modus operandi involved posting fake sexual contact ads on various websites, using images of women obtained from different social media platforms. Once individuals responded to these ads, the perpetrators would initiate conversations, eventually blackmailing the victims financially by threatening to reveal their identities and compromising their physical safety. The blackmailers posed as dangerous pimps, warning the victims that they would send "several of their best men" to the victims' homes if they did not comply with their demands.

Investigation and Arrests

The investigation was initiated by the Technological Investigation Team of the Guardia Civil in Cantabria after a person reported receiving severe threats after accessing a contact website. This individual had already paid over €5,000, yet the demands for money continued. The investigators discovered similarities between these threats and others occurring across the country, suggesting they were perpetrated by the same individuals.

The probe revealed that the blackmailers operated from a residence in Picanya, Valencia. The four arrested individuals include three primary suspects aged 26, 27, and 36, who are accused of being the main perpetrators of the cyber scams. The fourth suspect, aged 34, is considered a necessary collaborator for providing multiple mobile phone cards in the names of third parties, many of which were fictitious.

Financial Impact and Evidence

The operation has uncovered significant financial transactions linked to the extortions. The Guardia Civil has identified €23,000 in bank accounts suspected to be proceeds from the scams, with the resolved cases related to this extortion totaling €18,000.

During the raids, the police seized ten mobile devices, some of which contained hundreds of images of young women downloaded from social media to create the fake ads. One of the seized phones had been used with 106 different phone cards with false ownership.

Geographic Reach

The cases linked to this extortion scheme have been reported in various regions, including Cantabria, Murcia, Cádiz, Jaén, Granada, Asturias, and La Coruña. The operation was directed by the court of San Vicente de la Barquera and involved collaboration between the Guardia Civil units in Cantabria and Valencia.

This successful operation highlights the ongoing efforts of Spanish law enforcement to combat cybercrime and protect citizens from such predatory activities.