The National Police has issued a warning through its official TikTok account about a new scam that is affecting the hospitality sector. The modus operandi of the scammers begins with a message in which they claim to be the manager of the establishment and that there are outstanding payments for taxes and receipts. The objective is to put the recipient in a situation of urgency and pressure them to pay without checking the veracity of the information.
The police warn that one should never pay without first verifying the information with the manager or person in charge of the establishment, and that if one has been a victim of a scam, it is important to keep all payment receipts and file a complaint at the police station.
The police have also warned of other scams that have emerged in recent months, such as the phishing and fake reviews scam and the shipping scam, with the aim of obtaining personal and banking information from victims. In addition, they have mentioned the “magic theft” scam, in which an alleged perpetrator would show up in stores and buy low-value items with 100-euro bills, with the aim of obtaining change in higher-value cash.
To avoid becoming a victim of these scams, the police recommend paying attention to cash payments with high denomination banknotes and always verifying the information before making any payment. In case you have been a victim of a scam, it is important to file a report and keep all receipts for payments made.