Problem
Clients contacted us who were planning to purchase real estate properties in Spain. They had been communicating with an individual who presented themselves as a real estate agency.
To gain access to the properties and arrange viewings, the accused first contacted authorized brokers, informing them about potential clients. When the brokers scheduled the date and time of the viewing, this information was passed on to the applicants, who attended the viewings pretending to be legitimate buyers.
The clients made advance payments; however, after receiving the final agreed amount, the accused began unjustifiably delaying the fulfillment of the agreements. As a result, the clients received neither the properties (which, as we later discovered from official documents, had been sold to other buyers) nor a refund of the deposited funds. The total amount involved was several hundred thousand euros.
Solution
Our lawyer acted step by step to protect the clients and recover the funds:
- Sending a burofax (an official registered postal notice with confirmation of receipt) demanding the return of the deposited amounts.
- After the funds were not returned, a joint querella criminal (a criminal complaint filed with the court against individuals suspected of fraud) was prepared on behalf of all victims.
We also filed a motion to freeze the defendants’ bank accounts, real estate, vehicles, and other assets to secure the amount of the claim.
Conclusion
The lawyer’s actions help protect the clients’ interests, ensure the recovery of the deposited funds, and minimize the risk of the defendants disposing of their assets. The preventive seizure of assets guarantees that, if the court rules in favor of the clients, the funds can be successfully recovered.
