The Civil Guard has arrested eleven people and is investigating ten others for fraud, money laundering, document forgery, and membership in a criminal organization. The fraudsters defrauded 96 victims in various parts of Spain.
At AntiScamNews we expose scammers so that no one else falls into their trap.
Operation “Talamineda”: the blow to a digital fraud network
The Civil Guardhas dismantled a criminal organization dedicated to online scamsthat operated from Talavera de la Reina (Toledo)and other locations.
The operation, dubbed “Talamineda,” resulted in eleven arrests, five people under investigation, and five others formally chargedwith fraud , document forgery, money laundering, and belonging to a criminal organization.
The group used social mediaas a platform to offer nonexistent products, mainly furniture, deceiving dozens of people across Spain.
According to police sources, the scammers obtained illicit profits at the expense of 96 victims, who made payments via bank transfers, Bizum, or bank deposits, without ever receiving the promised items.
This is how the scam worked
The network posed as a legitimate furniture company, posting attractive images and competitive prices on social media and online marketplaces.
When a user showed interest, one of the group members would contact them via instant messaging, impersonating the company’s sales representative.
The goal was to gain the victim’s trustthrough friendly and professional behavior.
Once the order was agreed upon, they requested advance paymentunder the pretext of “confirming the shipment.”
As soon as the money was transferred, they blocked the victimand deleted their profile, later opening a new fake account with a different name and logoto repeat the scam.
The business’s appearance—with catalog photos and realistic descriptions—made it difficult to suspect fraud.
The criminals even went so far as to send forged invoicesto reinforce the illusion of legitimacy.
Investigation and tracing of money
The first complaints emerged in Minas de Riotinto (Huelva)and Talavera de la Reina, where several victims reported suspicious profiles offering furniture that could not be located.
The investigation, led by the Civil Guard in Valladolid, identified a complex network of bank accounts used to receive the proceeds of the scams.
The money was transferred quickly between different account holdersto make it harder to trace, and some of those involved acted as “money mules,” lending their bank accounts in exchange for a commission.
This practice, common in criminal organizations, allows them to launder fundsand conceal the illicit origin of the money.
, house searches and computer forensicswere carried out , confirming the suspects’ involvement in the network.
Coordination between different police commandswas key to dismantling the network, which operated in several Spanish provinces.
A professional scam
Sources close to the investigation describe the group as a well-organized, hierarchical structurewith defined tasks for each member.
Some were responsible for creating and maintaining the fake accounts, others managed the transfers and money movements, while a third group controlled communication with the victims.
The level of sophistication and coordination led agents to classify the network as a fully structured criminal organization, capable of replicating its operations in various online sales sectors.
In fact, it is possible they planned to expand into other productsand that there are additional unidentified victims.
The profile of the digital scammer
The “Talamineda” case reflects an increasingly common pattern in the Spanish cybercrime landscape.
Modern scammersdo n’t act impulsively: they analyze consumer behavior, create fake brandswith a social media presence, and use corporate languageto appear professional.
Fraud isn’t limited to fictitious products.
Many of these criminals exploit consumer trends, such as custom furniture or clearance sales, to make their offers seem more credible.
Furthermore, they use stolen or AI-generated digital identities, which makes them even harder to track.
Legal consequences and public warning
The proceedings conducted by the Civil Guard in Valladolidhave already been sent to the Duty Magistrate’s Courtin the same city. With the operation concluded,
the criminal networkis considered completely dismantled , although the investigation remains open to locate any possible branches.
Law enforcement officials have reiterated the importance of always verifying the identity of companies before making online payments.
They also recommend being wary of overly attractive offers, checking the seller’s reputation, and avoiding transfers to personal or foreign accounts.
The agents emphasize: “Social media is a powerful tool, but it’s also the arena where scammers find their victims.
Every user should exercise caution, because online, trust can cost you money.”
A growing problem
Operation Talamineda is the latest in a string of recent raids against digital fraud networksin Spain.
So far this year, the Civil Guard and the National Police have detected a significant increase in fraud committed through social media, particularly related to the sale of nonexistent productsor the impersonation of well-known companies.
This phenomenon reflects the evolution of cybercrime: scammers are no longer just stealing data, but also dreams and savings.
And while law enforcement is making progress in prosecuting them, citizen preventionremains the first line of defense.