Woman loses €62,000 in “family emergency” scam in Gran Canaria
A 28-year-old man has been arrested in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria after allegedly scamming a woman out of more than €62,000 by pretending to be her nephew in a long-running “family emergency” scam.
According to the National Police, the suspect used emotional manipulation and detailed family knowledge to convince the victim she was helping a close relative facing financial difficulties.
The woman reportedly received messages over several months asking for money for different emergencies, including medical treatment, housing problems, personal expenses and even a school trip. Believing the requests were genuine, she made numerous bank transfers and purchases between June 2025 and this year.
Investigators later discovered that the suspect had previously worked as a carer for the victim’s nephew. Police say this gave him access to personal information and family details, which he allegedly used to make the scam appear convincing.
The family had reportedly dismissed the man months earlier after becoming suspicious of his behaviour and repeated requests for money. Officers believe he then used the information he had gathered to impersonate the nephew and continue the fraud for months without raising an alarm.
The scam only came to light during a family gathering when the real nephew denied having asked for any money. The victim then contacted police, triggering an investigation that led to the suspect’s arrest on 6th May in Las Palmas.
Police confirmed the total amount lost through transfers and purchases reached €62,755. The suspect has now been handed over to the courts following the completion of the investigation.
Authorities are once again warning people to be cautious of unexpected messages requesting urgent financial help. Police advise anyone receiving suspicious requests from relatives to verify them directly by phone before sending money.
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