This Wednesday, the PSP carried out a mega operation in the Grand Port due to suspicions of rent fraud, in which hundreds of people were victims. Twelve people were arrested, three men and nine women, ranging in age from 21 to 53.
For what CM As it turned out, the scheme brought in more than 240 thousand euros.
At a press conference, PSP commissioner João Soeima said the scheme involved renting houses in the area for a few days and simultaneously advertising the house for rent “for the medium or long term.”
After gaining access to the home, the suspects, using fictitious names, posed as the owners of the property, showing it to the victims, who were pressured to quickly sign a lease and signaled the deal with a deposit of two to four dollars. monthly rent from 1600 to 2400 euros.
The group targeted by the investigation had as its “preferred target audience foreign nationals who came to Portugal with the intention primarily of working and studying.”
According to the commissioner, victims arriving from Latin America and Africa in some cases faced social emergencies and even had to turn to social security services.
The victims only found out about the fraud when the real owner of the property demanded to vacate the house. In some cases, suspects have even stolen appliances and other items from homes.
Although the scope of the intervention in the morning police operation was limited to the group’s activities in the Greater Porto area, João Soeima added that there were other situations identified outside this geographical area, with the operation in question being carried out at national level.
During the mega-operation, 30 arrest warrants were issued. PSP conducted 22 home searches and 2 off-site searches. Various documentation, computer equipment and mobile phones, as well as bank debit cards were also seized.
The police operation involved 98 members of the PSP, as well as the rapid response teams of the Porto Metropolitan Command and a team from the special police unit.
The suspects are accused of committing more than 140 criminal acts and will appear before the judicial authorities this Thursday for enforcement action.