A 29-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly making more than €50,000 through fake property rental adverts targeting victims in the Canary Islands, including Lanzarote. Police believe the fraud involved at least 65 offences carried out over a period of more than a year.

The suspect was arrested on 8th July following an investigation by the National Police's Economic and Financial Crime Unit in Las Palmas. Detectives launched the operation after receiving numerous reports from across the Canary Islands that all followed the same pattern.

Complaints were made in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and Tenerife, as well as in Madrid and Gijón. Investigators say the suspect copied genuine property listings from well-known rental websites before advertising them at unusually low prices to attract potential tenants.

Once contact had been made, victims were allegedly pressured into paying reservation fees and the first month's rent in advance, with claims that there was high demand for the properties. To make the scam appear legitimate, fake tenancy agreements were sent using the identities of unrelated third parties.

Victims were also persuaded to provide copies of personal documents, which police say were later used to open bank accounts, obtain mobile phone contracts and create fake profiles to support further fraudulent activity.

According to investigators, payments were made via Bizum and bank transfers to accounts belonging to other individuals, making the money trail more difficult to trace. During the arrest, officers seized cash and several mobile phones, which they say provided key evidence linking the suspect to the offences.

The investigation remains ongoing, and police have not ruled out the possibility of further victims coming forward.

The case serves as a reminder for anyone searching for rental accommodation in the Canary Islands to be cautious. Police advise avoiding properties offered at unusually low prices, never paying deposits before viewing a property, checking the landlord's identity, and not sending personal documents until the legitimacy of the rental has been confirmed.