MP accuses 38 defendants of MBWay scams

The Public Prosecutor's Office (MP) has filed charges against 38 defendants for fraud using the MBWay electronic payment application and other associated crimes, in a scheme that has defrauded victims of thousands of euros, it was announced this Monday.

In a statement, the Public Prosecutor's Office indicated that the defendants had friendly and family ties with each other and operated mainly from the areas of Campo Maior and Elvas, in the district of Portalegre, where they lived.

"The case, which includes dozens of citizens from across the country as victims, has incorporated around 85 investigations," the Public Prosecutor's Office highlighted in a statement published on the website of the Évora Regional Attorney General's Office.

According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, the 38 defendants were accused of committing several crimes of computer fraud, computer forgery, illegitimate access and possession of a prohibited weapon , involving the criminal scheme known as “MBWay Scam”.

It was in the Campo Maior and Elvas areas that the defendants “proceeded to withdraw money from ATMs obtained by deceiving people who advertised items for sale on online sales sites , such as OLX and Custo Justo”, he said.

According to the prosecution, the events took place in 2019 and 2020 and, during that period, “the defendants, initially, expressed interest in purchasing the items offered for sale, gaining the trust of the advertisers”.

"They then took advantage of their lack of knowledge or experience using MBWay to trick them into giving up their personal credentials and associating the defendants' cell phone numbers with their bank accounts on that app," he explained.

The Public Prosecutor's Office highlighted that, in this way, "the defendants were then able to withdraw cash and make interbank transfers for their benefit, defrauding the victims of thousands of euros."

Without specifying values, the Public Prosecutor's Office said it had accounted for "the advantages that the defendants obtained as a result of such actions, and a request was made for the loss in favor of the State of benefits from the criminal activity and also for the direct loss in favor of the State of cash, mobile phones and computer equipment."

The MP was assisted by the Criminal Investigation Unit (NIC) of the GNR of Elvas in carrying out the investigation.

The deadline for the possible opening of an investigation is now running, which, if not requested, will determine the referral of the case for judgment.