Two arrested in the south of Tenerife for a mobile phone scam

The Guardia Civil have arrested two people in Guargacho, San Miguel de Abona, involved in a mobile phone scam in the south of Tenerife. The investigation began following complaints from two victims who fell into a sophisticated trap, leading to a police operation called ‘Yabulka’ to catch those responsible.

The detainees used Facebook marketplace to advertise the sale of high-end mobile phones from leading brands at attractive prices of €1,000 in the first case and €1,200 in the second. However, what seemed like an unbeatable offer turned into a nightmare for those who responded to the ads.

The scammers' modus operandi involved arranging to meet the victims in the Las Chafiras industrial estate. During these meetings, the transaction took place: the victims handed over the agreed-upon money to the accused, and in return, they received a supposed high-end mobile phone.

However, once the transaction was completed, the scammers disappeared without a trace. When the victims examined their purchases more closely, they realized they had been deceived, as the mobile phones were not genuine but low-quality counterfeits.

A relevant detail is that both victims, when filing their complaints, voluntarily handed over the counterfeit mobile phones as evidence to the police, which greatly facilitated the work of the investigating agents.

After extensive work during the investigation, officers managed to identify and locate the two individuals responsible for these crimes. The arrest of both suspects was promptly carried out, and during the process, a third counterfeit mobile phone was seized as additional evidence.

The Guardia Civil has submitted the three fake mobiles, along with all the proceedings conducted, to the Granadilla de Abona Duty Court where they will be sentenced.