A New York couple is battling in Spanish courts after falling victim to a sophisticated €1.1 million property scam in Mallorca. The elaborate scheme, combining in-person deception and cyber fraud, resulted in the funds being transferred to a Denmark-registered company, leaving investigators with limited leads in Spain.
The victims visited the island in March 2024 for a six-day stay. On their first morning, they were dining at a restaurant when they met a man at an adjacent table who claimed to be selling a flat in Palma's old town. Being nearby, they viewed the property immediately. The couple expressed interest in purchasing the residence, and three days later, a breakfast meeting was arranged to negotiate the deal. The supposed seller appeared with an alleged lawyer, while the American couple had their own legal counsel.
Initially, the transaction appeared legitimate, following standard property purchase protocols. A price of €1.13 million was agreed upon, and a deposit contract was notarised. The buyers paid a 10% deposit into the notary's office account, with a one-month deadline set for completing the full payment.
After the couple returned to New York, the fraudsters, who identified themselves as a Belgian national residing in Costa Rica, executed their scheme by spoofing several email addresses. On 17th April 2024, a week before the final payment was due, they sent an email directing the payment to a different notary account.
The funds were deposited into a recently opened bank account in Benalmádena, Málaga. The account belonged to a company represented by a Denmark-based individual. With the victims in New York, the alleged seller in Costa Rica, and the fund intermediary in Denmark, the money's current location remains unknown. The couple filed a complaint through their lawyer with the Guardia Civil in Inca, but jurisdiction has been transferred to a Torremolinos court due to the banking connection.