Man held over food delivery identity scam

Police in Alicante have arrested a 45-year-old man accused of tricking a woman into opening a food delivery account in her name and then keeping the cash payments from orders.

According to Policía Nacional, the suspect offered to help the woman complete the paperwork needed to sign up on a home-delivery platform. Once the account had been created with her details, he allegedly kept hold of the access credentials and used the profile for his own benefit.

Investigators say the account was set up with the victim’s data, while the man entered his own telephone number and email address so he could receive the orders directly. He is also accused of collecting the cash from customers and leaving the woman with a debt to the delivery company.

Officers identified the suspect after a police inquiry and later arrested him in Alicante. He is accused of document falsification, fraud and identity misuse.

After the police paperwork was completed, he was brought before the duty investigating court in Alicante.

How the alleged scam worked

The case centres on the takeover of an online delivery account rather than a more familiar bank or card fraud. Police say the woman believed she was getting help to start work, but the account ended up being controlled by the suspect.

The arrest comes as police continue to warn about scams that target people looking for quick work or freelance jobs, where personal details can be used to create accounts and contracts in another person’s name.