GNR figures from 2015 show that the force dealt with an average of 367 cases of swindling every month last year, or around 11 incidents involving some form of deception a day.
The GNR’s data also shows that while online fraud accounts for the majority of cases, situations in which the scammer approaches the victim in person are still high.
Close to 1,600 cons were carried out over the internet, the vast majority relating to the buying and selling of goods or holiday property rentals, while a further 1,300 crimes through personal contact were also logged, along with 227 by phone and 62 in writing, which includes adverts printed in newspapers.
One of the most common form of scams, particularly during holiday periods, appears to be the letting of non-existing rental properties, where deposits are taken for phantom holiday homes.
GNR police this week also revealed that up until the end of June they were called to deal with 20 cases of fraudulent holiday apartment rentals, with expectations that this number will have risen during July and will continue to do so until the end of the summer season.
Police figures for last year revealed that 143 cases were reported of people answering internet or newspaper advertisements for holiday apartments, paying in advance, only to find that the rental was a fictitious one.
The majority of these con deals were reported in the Algarve, with Albufeira topping the list with 25, followed by Loulé (14) and Portimão (5).
Other areas affected in Portugal included Braga, Aveiro, Porto and Leiria, with the most taking place last August.
GNR police have recommended that people be suspicious of ‘too-good-to-be-true’ advertisements, saying that con artists use this tactic to maximise profits in a short space of time.
In most of the cases, prospective holiday tenants are asked to pay a deposit in the way of a bank transfer.
Victims are requested to contact the police immediately in order for authorities to trace the perpetrators as quickly as possible and before they take advantage of their next victim.
I have been conned the other way. I am licensed and advertised through an online company , accepted a booking , they started to complain about trivial things of their own making within the first 24 hours, this resulted in the payment being with held and I did not get half of the money. I also had a number of breakages, and repainting and other factors to consider which has made me think we need a register of con artists to warn other renters.
By JudithWithington from Algarve on 13 Aug 2016, 22:36