Swedish woman returns home to southern Spain to find out about scam: $345,000 lost and a hospital visit

A Swedish woman was the victim of a real estate scam in the town of Mijas, located in the province of Málaga on Spain’s southern coast, after discovering last December that the home she was living in had been sold without her knowledge. The property had originally cost her around $345,000 (approximately €320,000).

She only became aware of the situation over the Christmas holidays, when she returned to Spain and found new occupants already living in the apartment. It turns out the property was sold using a forged power of attorney, and she had never signed any document approving the sale.

The scam reportedly began with a break-in at the property in September. The thieves stole various items from the home, including personal documents, which were later used to forge the notarial power, according to the news site Fuengirola.fi (a local news outlet serving the Costa del Sol area).

The Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil) is now investigating the case after verifying that forged documents were used to carry out the real estate fraud. According to the same source, the stress and anxiety caused by the ordeal forced the woman to seek treatment at a hospital.