Fake pet scam operation dismantled by the Guardia Civil

Over 120 victims across Spain, including Murcia, fell prey to a gang selling pets that didn't exist

The Guardia Civil has taken down a criminal gang that scammed more than 120 people through fake online pet ads. The operation, called ‘Magna-Vallis,’ uncovered a network that tricked people into paying for pets that didn’t exist.

Three members of the gang, all from the same family, also controlled an 80-year-old man, keeping him away from his family and forcing him to beg. They even used him to open multiple bank accounts that helped carry out the scams.

Murcia was one of the provinces hit, along with Tenerife, Las Palmas, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, Cádiz, Alicante, Almería, the Balearic Islands, and many more. In total, authorities identified 121 fraud victims and ten cases of identity theft connected to the gang.

The investigation started after a complaint last February from someone who paid €280 for a puppy advertised online, but never got the animal. The scammers asked for payments in stages, under all sorts of excuses like vaccines, transport, microchips, or cages, using Bizum or bank transfers. They also used multiple phone lines, bank accounts, and fake or stolen IDs to carry out their scheme, and even laundered the money in small chunks using a method called ‘smurfing.’

The Guardia Civil blocked 57 bank accounts and 23 phone lines linked to the gang. The fraud is thought to total more than €36,000. Investigators also found that part of the stolen money, along with improperly claimed social benefits, was invested in cryptocurrencies worth over €55,000. The total value of misused social benefits could be more than €560,000.

Those arrested face charges including continued fraud, money laundering, identity theft, being part of a criminal group, human trafficking, and abuse without injury.

The Guardia Civil reminds everyone that buying pets online is legal as long as it’s through authorised breeders or centres. Their advice: be wary of prices that seem too good to be true, urgent delivery demands, or paying in advance. Always check the breeder’s documents, the pet’s health records, and the microchip before sending any money.

Images: interior.gob.es