In a statement, the PJ explained that this investigation began at the end of 2018, based on several cases of "Skimming" (copying payment card data) perpetrated repeatedly and with strong suspicions that it is the action of an organised group.

"The steps taken culminated in the identification of the presumed perpetrators, and it was later found that the group had diverted to another aspect of fraud associated with purchases on online platforms using credit card data," they said.

The PJ conducted several house searches and seized "skimmers" for reading magnetic stripes, counterfeit bank cards, computer and communication devices, card data, as well as articles acquired by skimming.

It is estimated that the value of the fraud by skimming amounted to around €28,000 and card data fraud activity amounted to around €270,000.

Six people, five men and one woman, aged between 21 and 52, will be present for the first judicial questioning to apply coercive measures.

The investigation was carried out by the Cybercrime and Technological Crime Unit (UNC3T), in close coordination with the Department of Investigation and Penal Action (DIAP) of Sintra.