Scams were responsible last year for a property loss of more than 65 million euros, 41% less compared to 2023, a decrease that follows the decrease in reports of this type of crime in 2024, reveals the PSP.
In a statement, the Public Security Police states that, despite the growing trend in the number of reports for the crime of fraud in recent years, in 2024, 26,486 incidents were recorded by this security force, 13% less compared to 2023, when 30,342 incidents were recorded.
The PSP received 19,653 complaints of fraud in 2021, a number that rises to 23,982 the following year, increasing again to 30,342 in 2023, a number that drops to 26,486 last year, according to the data.
This security force highlights that last year fraud was responsible for a loss of property value exceeding 65 million euros, which corresponds to a 41% decrease compared to that recorded in 2023 (110 million euros), “also accompanying the decrease in the number of incidents reported for the crime of fraud”.
These “significant results”, claims the police, are the result of “PSP’s investment in the ongoing work of criminal analysis of this phenomenon, as well as in raising public awareness”.
Arrests made by the PSP in 2024 for the crime of fraud would also decrease by 13%, to a total of 69, a figure that also follows the decline in the number of complaints.
The PSP arrested 38 people for this type of crime in 2021, 58 in the following year and 79 in 2023.
In the statement on security advice, this security force states that the elderly are the “preferred victims of fraudsters when it comes to face-to-face operations”, but, in recent years and due to the potential of the digital world, suspects have also targeted victims of various ages.
“The most effective way to avoid becoming a victim of a fraud crime is to focus on prevention, suspecting and doubting people we don’t know, as well as businesses that bring too large and rapid dividends”, he indicates, calling for the reporting of all frauds to the police authorities.
As the Christmas season approaches and in order to prevent and prevent fraud in the digital environment, the PSP advises not to make any type of money transfer to people who advertise on the Internet, to save all exchanges of emails, photos and messages, not to access addresses sent via emails or other platforms, advertisements that last over time are more likely to be true and to research images presented to check whether they are genuine or taken from other platforms.
Regarding scams carried out in person, the PSP advises: “If you detect any strange movement in your building or neighborhood, contact the PSP immediately”, “talk to the local police officers and give them all the details that may seem suspicious”, “if they knock on the door to ask for information, do not open it. Listen to the message and record it on paper”, “do not provide personal data, nor respond to questionnaires about yourself, without knowing if it is trustworthy and which company it belongs to”, “do not receive any orders that you have not requested” and “do not tell anyone if you have valuable objects at home”.