Police in Lanzarote issues major warning as scam is costing victims thousands
Police launched a probe after a person alleged that around €5,000 (£4,224) was spent on their credit card on online betting sites and stores.
Spanish police are warning people in Lanzarote to watch out for criminals committing fraud as they investigate a suspect accused of "carding".
Carding is a form of cybercrime where credit card data is stolen by fraudsters.
The Civil Guard has launched an operation after a person alleged that around €5,000 (£4,224) was spent on their credit card on online betting sites and stores.
They reported the alleged fraud to police at San Bartolomé station, providing evidence of 63 unauthorised transactions.
Spanish police say the information has helped them identify a suspect.
Carding scams involve criminals gaining card data with a range of tricks and traps, including phishing, malware, and fraudulent websites.
Other techniques include card cloning and hacked websites.
Lanzarote is a popular destination for British tourists. Those traveling there should be wary of the criminal activity.
To protect yourself from carding, you should:
- Ignore spam emails or messages from unknown senders.
- Regularly monitor bank transactions, especially during online shopping periods.
- Disable NFC on your mobile device when not in use or use RFID blockers.
- Ensure online stores use secure payment gateways.
- Use prepaid or virtual cards for online purchases.
- Enable two-factor authentication for payments.
- Report any suspicious activity to your bank immediately.
