A registered gestor agent has been arrested in western Spain for blocking out all citas previas (appointments) on the immigration website and then charging foreigners €300 to €400 to get seen, proof that it’s not only clandestine agents exploiting the system.
A new police arrest in the western city of Salamanca is the latest example of how Spain is struggling to stamp out the so-called cita previa scam.
The case also highlights how it’s not just criminal groups operating through internet cafes or Facebook and WhatsApp groups who are targeting desperate foreigners wanting to process their residency papers, sometimes legitimate firms are involved in these illicit practices too.
According to the police investigation, the modus operandi of the group is nothing new. It consisted of hacking the government's appointment booking system and claiming all available slots to then resell them to foreigners.
READ ALSO: €90 for a 'cita previa' - Spain's residency appointment scams worsen
