23-09-2024, 09:13 AM
The Guardia Civil has arrested a foreign couple accused of multiple offences after attempting to check into a hotel in Caleta de Fuste, Fuerteventura, using fake passports and credit cards. The arrests are part of the broader "Safe Tourism Plan," which aims to protect tourists and businesses from fraud and other criminal activities.
According to an official Police press release, the investigation began when hotel staff alerted authorities about potential identity fraud by two guests who presented themselves as foreign tourists, and attempted to check into the hotel on September 13th.
Claiming their documentation and credit cards were in a bag that had gone missing, they instead showed photos of their passports and promised to provide the originals later. After several failed attempts to pay €404 for the hotel using their mobile phone, hotel staff became suspicious.
The following day, a passport matching one of the guests was found on the hotel premises. However, the passport details, including nationality, did not match the information the guest had initially provided.
Upon receiving this information, the Guardia Civil in Puerto del Rosario launched an investigation to verify the authenticity of the couple's documents. Statements from hotel staff and evidence of failed payment attempts led authorities to discover that the man had manually entered credit card details into the payment system, bypassing typical security measures.
Further Criminal Activity and Arrest
During the investigation, officers found that the male suspect had received another confirmation for a reservation at a different hotel nearby, prompting them to act quickly to prevent further fraud. The couple were subsequently arrested near the reception area of the hotel, and upon searching their luggage, Police found 18 credit cards under the man’s real name and €5,660 in cash.
As a preventive measure, the couple’s passports have been confiscated, and they have been banned from leaving the island pending further investigation.
According to an official Police press release, the investigation began when hotel staff alerted authorities about potential identity fraud by two guests who presented themselves as foreign tourists, and attempted to check into the hotel on September 13th.
Claiming their documentation and credit cards were in a bag that had gone missing, they instead showed photos of their passports and promised to provide the originals later. After several failed attempts to pay €404 for the hotel using their mobile phone, hotel staff became suspicious.
The following day, a passport matching one of the guests was found on the hotel premises. However, the passport details, including nationality, did not match the information the guest had initially provided.
Upon receiving this information, the Guardia Civil in Puerto del Rosario launched an investigation to verify the authenticity of the couple's documents. Statements from hotel staff and evidence of failed payment attempts led authorities to discover that the man had manually entered credit card details into the payment system, bypassing typical security measures.
Further Criminal Activity and Arrest
During the investigation, officers found that the male suspect had received another confirmation for a reservation at a different hotel nearby, prompting them to act quickly to prevent further fraud. The couple were subsequently arrested near the reception area of the hotel, and upon searching their luggage, Police found 18 credit cards under the man’s real name and €5,660 in cash.
As a preventive measure, the couple’s passports have been confiscated, and they have been banned from leaving the island pending further investigation.
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