For months, investigators pursued seemingly minimal leads: fleeting phone calls, vehicle movements and cameras recording anonymous faces. The plot was concluded this week when city police broke into two houses and found money, cellphones and electronic devices that revealed how a gang of fraudsters operated on an “Uncle’s Story” basis.
The city police reported that the operation was carried out by order of the National Criminal and Correctional Court No. 31 with the intervention of the Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office No. 12. The starting point of the case was the victim’s complaint, which recounted how the employee received a call from a supposed accountant who told her to withdraw a dollar amount “to protect the money.” The deceived woman gave the savings to a stranger who showed up at the house. The maneuver was discovered shortly afterwards and an investigation was launched that included analyzing surveillance cameras, identifying vehicles and tracking people.
After months of work, investigators managed to locate two addresses associated with the organization: one in Moctezuma at 2 p.m. and another in Sanabria at 2 p.m. Raids were carried out there, which enabled the kidnapping of 15 cell phones, a notebook and a DVRtwo USB sticks, three memory adapters and a SIM card. Vehicle keys, cash in pesos and dollars and other items were also found and are being examined.
During the proceedings, 12 people were identified, although it has not been announced at this time whether any arrests have been made. The authorities stated that the seized material will be crucial to advance the investigation and determine the scope of the organization, which would have committed several frauds under the same modality.
The pictures of the procedure show the extent of the operation. One of the photos shows a table covered with a printed tablecloth, with several car keys on it, most with the Volkswagen logo, and a metal keychain with the inscription “100.” In another shot, a black Lenovo-branded notebook appears lying on a surface covered in colored tablecloths, being analyzed to determine whether it contains information relevant to the case.
On another record, a series of bills of various denominations can be seen: dollars and Argentine pesos on a red armchair, next to them are cell phones of various models and eye-catching cases, such as a cover with a Rolling Stones design and another with gold glitter. Additional keys and electronic devices can also be seen, supporting the hypothesis that the gang used multiple telephone lines to carry out the deceptions.
In another photo you can see a simple LG brand mobile phone with a physical keyboard and battery removed, as well as more modern smartphones. According to investigators, these devices were used to make the calls that carried out the scams. The variety of devices suggests an organized scheme to avoid tracking and maintain communication between members.
The images of the interiors of the houses searched show a messy environment with furniture full of objects and clothing. In a kitchen, police officers check shelves and cabinets while another agent inspects a closet full of personal items. These rooms were identified as places where items related to illegal activities were hidden.
The “Uncle Story” is a criminal practice that persists despite prevention campaigns. The victim is deceived through a telephone call and made to believe that they need to deliver money or goods due to a family or financial emergency. In this case, the maneuver exploited the trust of a domestic worker, giving the criminals access to the homeowner’s savings.
Police sources said the investigation was ongoing and the involvement of other people had not been ruled out. The seized items – including cell phones, computers and storage devices – will be subjected to expert assessment to reconstruct the contact network and communication flow. The movements of the suspects’ vehicles, whose keys were found in the houses, are also being analyzed.
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