Two Peruvian men, aged 22 and 26, have been arrested in Puente de Vallecas (Madrid) for running a scam involving Immigration appointments. They used a bot—a computer program—to flood the appointment hotline and then sold each slot for 50 euros. It’s that simple.
The police caught them on October 16 inside a car, handling several cell phones at once. The bot called the official appointment number nonstop, leaving no slots for regular people. They then offered the appointments to immigrants who needed to regularize their status. Payment was made via bank transfer.
In the car, officers seized four phones and a notebook containing the names and personal information of foreign nationals. The detainees are charged with computer fraud and fraud. The difficulty in securing an appointment has created a black market on social media and online marketplaces, where slots are sold for up to 50 euros—and keep in mind, the process itself is free.
On October 3, the UGT union reported that there are organized networks using bots. “This black market undermines equality,” they warned. They are calling for a security audit and a reform of the appointment system. Their proposals? These:
- Advanced CAPTCHA
- SMS verification
- in-person processing
- daily quota without an appointment
Come on, let’s get them moving.
If you’re looking for an appointment, don’t go through middlemen. It’s illegal and just feeds the racket. The appointment is free, and you have to go through official channels. If you run into problems, there are people who can help you out.
If you’re having trouble with your appointment or paperwork, message us on Telegram: https://t.me/cita_extranjeria
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