The National Police has arrested 69 people in 16 provinces. Another 25 are being investigated. The reason? They had set up a scheme to take over the prior appointments for foreign affairs and resell them. The 'service' — as they called it — cost between 30 and 200 euros per appointment.
The network used a computer 'bot' that bypassed the captchas and blocked the official Police system. That's how they got almost all available appointments throughout Spain. Foreigners, unable to access, ended up paying intermediaries, agents and even lawyers who were part of the plot.
The arrests have taken place in Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Albacete, Alicante, Almería, Vizcaya, Burgos, Cádiz, Córdoba, Baleares, Marbella, Murcia, Tarragona, Tenerife and Toledo. The four ringleaders fell in Barcelona and Valencia. And 206,950 euros in cash, computer equipment and contracts mentioning the 'robot rental' have been seized.
The investigation has been coordinated by the UCRIF and is directed by the Court of Instruction number 8 of Valencia. The intermediaries knew well the damage they caused. They used VPN connections to hide their IP and avoid blocks. All to profit from a procedure that is free, just so you know.
If you or someone you know has paid for a foreign affairs appointment, you are facing a possible scam. The Police recommend not to go to these networks and to report it. The system, although collapsed, is the only legal and free way.
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