Costa News Spain Breaking News | English News in Spain.
Three members of the notorious “timo la estampita” criminal gang, also known as the “wallet con”, were arrested by the National Police in Estepona.
The suspects, two men and one woman, aged 20, 25, and 53, were detained as alleged perpetrators of a June 2025 fraud that cost a victim €7,900. The old swindle that dates back to 1910 continues to prey on greed and deception, and targets people who are vulnerable, such as the elderly and tourists throughout Spain.
The “timo” is a staged ruse that involves two to three con artists. A con artist, often pretending to have a mental impairment, approaches the victim with what looks like valuable stamps, banknotes and football stickers. However, in reality, his collection is worthless. The second conman, posing as an interested bystander, offers to split the “found” collection with the victim if they contribute cash or valuables. The group leads the victim to an isolated location such as parking lot or park bench where a third accomplice facilitates a swap. The victim gives money or jewelry and receives a bag full of fake bills or scraps of paper. Only after the scammers are gone will the victim realize the fraud.
Police confiscated props for the scam’s dramatics, which showed the group’s calculated strategy. A press release by the National Police stated that a roaming criminal trio has been traveling Spain’s coast resorts, targeting their victims and evading detection due to being constantly on the move. The Estepona case has shown the scammers‘ persistence, with modern variations like online phishing emerging, exploiting the same human vulnerabilities. Authorities warn of an increase in this type of scam.
