Two people were arrested on suspicion of scamming a tourist who rented an apartment in the seaside city of Pinamar, while a third accomplice is on the run. According to local reports, the tourist paid $455,000 for accommodation at Avenida Libertador 1933, but upon arrival discovered that the property was not for rent.
The case caught the attention of judicial authorities, and the Sixth Court of Guarantees of Villa Gesell and the Fourth UFID of Pinamar initiated an investigation. The Buenos Aires Police identified the suspects by verifying that they used virtual wallets in their name. Evidence such as screenshots of postings on Market Place, bank transfer data, and the IP address linked to the fraudulent website was collected. The residence where the scammers operated is located in Temperley.
Lucas Villalbay and Paola Quijano were arrested in connection with the case. During the arrests, several items were seized, including credit cards used in the scam, debit cards, cell phones, a tablet, and four posnets. On the other hand, Amelia Villalba, who would also be implicated, is evading justice after not being found at a property on Julio Sánchez Gardel street where her arrest was expected.
