€1,800 defrauded from customers of a Puerto Rico nightspot venue

A Guardia Civil investigation from the Mogán Main Post in Puerto Rico de Gran Canaria, operating since March 26, has identified four people with the initials M.B.C. 34 years old and previous police records, I.C. 23 years old, A.M.C.L. 43 years of age and with no police record and a minor, in relation to three bank fraud crimes committed in the tourist town on the south of Gran Canaria.

The investigations began as a result of three complaints made at the Main Post in Puerto Rico where alleged victims, two tourists and a foreign resident on the island, reported excessive charges on their card payments at a night time entertainment venue in the shopping centre, one of whom even reported having their card taken from them with which later purchases were made in other establishments the following morning.

An investigation was initiated and agents obtained analyses of the payments as well studying images from security cameras to identify the suspects that they presumed had used the card, discovering they were employees of a local night club.

Suspecting other crimes may have been committed by the employees in the nightlife establishment itself, Guardia Civil carried out a study of bank reports related to the use and ownership of the terminals and point of sale (TPV reader of the card) for the business to understand the types of charges made by the establishment, verifying taht fraudulent charges had been made for undue or excessive amounts that were carried out by charging the credit card several times or introducing erroneous figures,  in this instance amounting to €1,800.

In the end, the agents managed to identify the alleged perpetrators of these three bank scams, which they investigated making their findings available to the corresponding Duty Courts, in the town of Maspalomas.

Safety tips for credit cards:

• Don’t let your credit card out of sight & always try to be present when payment is made. 

  

• Never write down your secret number, memorise it

• Check and regularly monitor your account statement and the amounts of your purchases. 

• Immediately report any loss or theft of your card