Spanish police have arrested a 20-year-old man in Madrid after alleging he manipulated the payment system of a travel and hotel booking website to reserve luxury rooms for €0.01 per stay, a scheme that investigators say caused losses of more than €20,000 to a single hotel.
How The Scheme Worked
According to a press release from the Spanish National Police, the suspect altered the website’s integrated payment process so that bookings costing up to €1,000 per night were approved after only one cent was entered. Police said he selected a well-known international electronic payment platform and launched a tailored cyberattack to interfere with transaction validation. The system then marked reservations as fully paid even though only €0.01 was transferred for each booking.
How The Case Came To Light
The investigation began on February 2 after a travel agency reported unusual reservations on its website. Days later, the company received the minimal payments, which revealed losses of about €20,000. Police said this method had not been seen before in similar cases.
Investigation And Arrest
After a technical analysis, investigators identified the suspect within four days. Police arrested him while he was staying at a luxury hotel in Madrid, where he had allegedly booked four nights at €1,000 per night. Authorities said he also consumed minibar items and left unpaid charges at some hotels.
Legal Status And Ongoing Inquiry
The suspect was brought before judicial authorities on suspicion of computer fraud. Police said the investigation is continuing.
Featured image credits: Flickr
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