Ana, aged 41, is one of over 300 individuals affected by the network dismantled in operation Minority Report. Fraudsters used her identity document to finance the purchase of a 900-euro mattress through a bank microcredit. The victim learned of the situation thanks to a call from the National Police, which allowed her to avoid greater financial complications and being included in debtor lists.
The origin of the scam dates back to January 2025, when Ana urgently visited a mobile phone store in the Alcampo Shopping Center in Granada to request a duplicate of her SIM card. During the process, the store employee obtained a copy of her DNI, an action that violates the Data Protection Law. Ana, confident in the security of the transaction, did not suspect anything at the time.
“"I arrive, say I need a card, and she asks me for my DNI. I give it to her, she returns it, I have my card, and everyone is happy. But of course..."
Months later, in October, Ana received a call from the National Police, which she initially thought was a joke. However, the seriousness of the matter led her to the police station, where she was informed that her documentation had been used to apply for microcredits of less than 1,000 euros, intended for the purchase of luxury items such as mattresses, Thermomix, or televisions. The network avoided exceeding 1,000 euros to prevent requiring additional data that could expose them.
The police investigation, led by the Group headed by David Hidalgo, identified the phone store as a key point in the scheme. Following the arrest of an employee and relevant searches, Ana's name appeared in the seized documentation. The victim had to request a credit record from the Bank of Spain, confirming the existence of a credit in her name for the purchase of a mattress costing over 900 euros in September.
Thanks to the police report, Ana was able to resolve the situation with Banco Sabadell, which ultimately removed the debt. The experience caused her great frustration, especially due to the ease with which microcredits were granted with just a copy of the DNI. The victim expressed her relief and gratitude to the National Police for their swift action, which prevented long-term problems with her credit history.
“"The truth is, a 10 out of 10 because they detected it and pulled the thread so quickly that we haven't become major victims. That could have caused me many long-term problems when applying for credit, a mortgage, and many obstacles."
