Elderly woman in Guadalajara nearly loses thousands of euros in bizarre “bank” scam

Police in Guadalajara have arrested a man accused of trying to steal thousands of euros from an elderly woman using a surreal phone scam in which he convinced her to withdraw her savings and leave the cash in her building’s mailbox “for safekeeping”.

Bank staff raise the alarm

The case came to light when staff at a local bank noticed that one of their older customers was suddenly trying to withdraw unusually large sums of money. The explanations she gave about why she needed the cash did not add up, and employees suspected she might be the target of a fraud.

The bank contacted the National Police on the emergency number 091 to report their suspicions. Officers quickly moved to locate the woman and check what was happening before she handed over any more money to the scammer.

A fake SMS from the “bank”

When police spoke to the victim, she explained that the day before she had received an SMS that appeared to be from her bank. The message warned that a large transfer had been made from her account and told her to call a specific phone number if she had not authorised the transaction.

When she phoned that number, a man answered claiming to be an employee of her bank. He told her that her accounts were under a cyberattack and that her money was at serious risk. To “protect” her savings, he said, she had to take drastic action immediately.

Ordered to leave cash in her mailbox

The supposed bank worker instructed the woman to withdraw all the money from her accounts in cash and to follow his orders step by step. According to the police, he told her to keep the phone call open while she went to the branch, took out the cash and returned to her building.

Once at home, he ordered her to put the money in her mailbox in the entrance hall of the building, leave the mailbox door open and then go back up to her flat. A “trusted person from the bank” would come to collect the cash from the mailbox, he said, and move it to a secure place away from the alleged hackers.

The scammer’s instructions even included how the victim should behave: stay on the line while going down to the portal, leave the envelope, go back upstairs and wait for the doorbell so she could let the supposed bank courier into the building.

First delivery: 6,000 euros already gone

The woman followed the instructions and handed over 6,000 euros the previous day without realising that she was dealing with a fraudster. The money disappeared after the pick‑up, and the scammer soon contacted her again to demand a second batch of cash using the same method.

This time, thanks to the bank’s warning and the intervention of the police, the plan did not go as the criminal expected. Officers set up a surveillance operation around the building to wait for whoever came to collect the money from the mailbox.

Arrested as he came to pick up the cash

When the suspect arrived at the property to pick up what would have been another 6,000 euros, plain‑clothes officers intercepted him just as he approached the mailbox. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted fraud and taken into custody while the investigation continues.

The police are now working to determine whether he acted alone or as part of a wider network that may have used the same method against other vulnerable victims. They are also analysing phone records and other digital evidence connected to the fake SMS and the calls.

Police warning about SMS and phone scams

The National Police have used this case to repeat a familiar warning, especially aimed at older people and their families. They stress that banks will never ask customers to withdraw all their money in cash or leave it in mailboxes, bags or with unknown couriers in order to “protect” it from hackers or cyberattacks.

Officers advise that any SMS or call that mentions suspicious transactions, blocked cards or security incidents should be treated with caution. Instead of using the phone numbers or links provided in the message, customers should hang up and contact their bank through official channels: the number printed on the back of the card, the bank’s own app or by going in person to the branch.

They also highlight the importance of family support. Relatives and carers are encouraged to talk regularly with older people about common scams, insist that they do not act in a hurry when money is involved and check with someone they trust before following any unusual instructions received by phone or text.

How to avoid falling for similar scams

Police recommend a few simple rules that can drastically reduce the risk of becoming a victim of this kind of fraud. Never trust anyone who pressures you to make immediate decisions about your money, never share personal or banking details with unknown callers and never hand over cash to strangers, even if they claim to come from your bank, a utility company or a public institution.

If you receive a suspicious message or call, take a moment to breathe, hang up and verify the information with your bank or the police before doing anything else. And if you suspect that you or a family member has already been caught up in a scam, report it as soon as possible. Early reporting can help recover funds in some cases and gives investigators a better chance of catching those responsible.