Portugal police detain couple for 400,000 euro online fraud

A foreign couple has been placed in preventive detention in Portugal after being suspected of defrauding a citizen of more than 400,000 euros through online scams. The Portuguese Judiciary Police (PJ) reported that the woman, who posed as a tarot reader on social media, used a website to promote esoteric services.

Since January, the victim was allegedly convinced to make bank transfers and cash deliveries under the false pretext that the money needed to be ‘blessed’ and ‘purified’ for spiritual work, with promises of eventual reimbursement. The couple reportedly traveled to Portugal for short periods to collect cash and had planned to return to Brazil.

Authorities noted that the pair displayed a highly luxurious lifestyle on social media. Both individuals have criminal records in Brazil, including a 2015 arrest for the woman involving similar fraudulent activities. The arrest was made possible through cooperation between the Portuguese PJ and international agencies.