Mallorca fake bank SMS: 111,000 euros returned

Mallorca: A businessman in Andratx, Mallorca, has 111,000 euros back after a fake bank SMS helped scammers take the money from his company account. The money returned on Thursday, less than a month after the message arrived on 10 September. Spain’s Civil Guard is still trying to find and arrest the suspects.

A bank message that led to a phone call

The fake SMS appeared in the same message thread as genuine texts from the man’s bank. It warned that a new device had supposedly been activated on his company account and told him to call a number if he had not authorised it.

He called. People posing as bank staff persuaded him to download AnyDesk, a remote-access app. They then took control of his device and transferred 111,000 euros without his permission to a bank account in the Netherlands.

The money comes back

The businessman reported the fraud. Civil Guard specialists, working with Europol, got the Dutch bank to block the suspect account. A European freezing and confiscation order enabled the money to be returned. The investigation remains open.

The Civil Guard advises people to be wary of SMS messages and to ask their bank for extra checks on payments. Anyone who suspects fraud should block their cards or other payment methods, report it, challenge unauthorised charges with their bank and gather details of the payment.

Topics: Police · Andratx · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com