A joint investigation by the Judea and Samaria District and the Central District of the Israel Police has uncovered a large-scale fraud affair, allegedly carried out by a Palestinian suspect who is accused of defrauding dozens of Israeli citizens using a sophisticated scheme, amassing millions of shekels.
As the investigation advanced, the suspect was arrested during a special operational activity conducted by Yamam counterterrorism officers in the heart of Ramallah. A search at the scene led to the seizure of numerous digital items, which are currently being examined as part of the ongoing cybercrime investigation.
According to investigators, the suspect posed as Israeli residents, using Israeli-sounding names, and contacted victims across the country. The victims had advertised products for sale on online platforms and social media, including the Yad2 website, and reached agreements with the suspect to sell the items. He would then send forged bank transfer confirmations, after which a taxi was dispatched to collect the products from the victims’ homes.
The investigation further revealed that the collected items were sometimes transferred to another taxi, typically in the area of the community of Beit Aryeh in Samaria. To date, approximately 100 complaints have been identified in connection with fraud offenses committed over the past two years, with total damages estimated at around three million shekels.