A Chamber member reported that whilst driving on the M40 on a recent trip to Madrid, an unmarked car drove alongside, flashed what seemed like a police badge and gestured to the driver to pull over which he duly did. One of the two individuals (in plain clothes) in the unmarked car then approached the stationary car, flashed the same badge momentarily and introduced himself as an Interpol officer and asked for documentation which the driver duly supplied. The alleged official then asked the passenger in the car for her documentation and when she reached for her bag, the “Interpol Officer” lunged into the car and grabbed her wallet.

Alarmed at the move, the driver in an agitated state asked the “agent” to see his identification badge again and to get his body out of the car. Since the passenger had little money in her wallet, the “agent” suddenly lost interest and walked briskly back to his car and drove off at high speed, but not before the driver took a note of the licence plate. This was immediately reported to the police by mobile phone.

After taking details, the real police (Guardia Civil) said that this has become a frequent occurrence. A variation on this scam is that the driver is asked to step out of the car and then the “agents” drive off with the car.

The fraudsters appear to target foreign-registered cars. So if you are driving in Spain on Gibraltar-registered plates you should drive with extra caution.

Our member further reports that on leaving Madrid, another unmarked car approached them in the same way but this time, using the camera on his mobile phone to take a picture the other car disappeared briskly. Again the licence plate number was given to the police.

Be warned. Do not stop for any unmarked “police car” on any of the Madrid orbital motorways and if they persist, call the police on 061 and tell them what is happening and ask for advice.