Member of roaming scam gang targeting elderly residents arrested in Tenerife
National Police officers have arrested a suspected member of a roaming criminal group specialising in scams in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, after an elderly woman was defrauded of approximately €176,000.
The investigation began in November following a complaint from the victim, who reported that she had been targeted using the so-called “son in distress” scam. According to police, the woman was contacted by an unknown person who pretended to be her son, claiming that his phone had broken and that he was facing an urgent situation requiring immediate financial help. She was also told that a supposed financial manager would contact her shortly.
Soon afterwards, a second person called the woman, identifying himself as her son’s manager. They arranged for an envelope containing €42,000 in cash to be handed over, which was collected by a third person. The scammers later contacted the victim again, instructing her to send more money via bank transfers and cash machine operations. These transactions amounted to a further €34,750.
In the days that followed, the woman continued to receive persistent phone calls from the scammer, who then asked her to hand over valuable items. On this occasion, the victim delivered more than half a kilo of jewellery, which she estimated to be worth around €100,000. When the fraudsters attempted to extract even more money, bank staff became suspicious due to the unusual activity on her accounts and warned her that she could be the victim of a scam.
Police investigators became aware that another handover had been arranged after the complaint was filed, and set up surveillance outside the woman’s home. The operation led to the arrest of an 18-year-old man who had arrived on the island that same morning, allegedly for the sole purpose of collecting the money. He was reportedly planning to return to mainland Spain just hours later.
The suspect was brought before authorities and released pending trial, while the investigation continues. National Police officers say they aim to fully dismantle the criminal group, which is believed to be targeting elderly people using this method.
Police have previously warned that in “son in distress” scams, fraudsters typically invent sudden emergencies such as a serious accident, hospitalisation, legal problems or an urgent business issue. The aim is to create panic and prevent victims from checking the information, often insisting that the situation must be kept secret and resolved immediately. Officers stress that criminals deliberately use emotional pressure and urgency to manipulate victims, particularly older people, into handing over money or valuables without verifying the caller’s identity.
The National Police have thanked the public for their cooperation and want to remind residents and visitors that information about suspected criminal activity can be provided confidentially, and anonymously if preferred, via the official website under the “Colabora” section.
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