Legnica police had been working for some time on a case involving online fraud. The evidence gathered first led officers to a 59-year-old man, who was arrested on 7 June. Further arrests took place on 9 and 12 June.
It turned out that the three suspects had defrauded more than 30 people from across the country. The scammers extorted more than PLN 230,000.
The officers secured telecommunications equipment, documentation evidencing criminal activity, and payment cards that the perpetrators used to withdraw advance payments deposited by buyers into various accounts.
For several months, the arrested men had been listing cars, excavators and agricultural tractors for sale at online auctions. Buyers first had to pay an advance to an account provided by the scammers. After that, contact with the “seller” was cut off.
All three suspects—a 59-year-old, a 57-year-old and a 26-year-old—have already been remanded in custody for three months. The men could face up to eight years in prison.