AN aspiring DJ thought he hacked his way into the high life by staying at exclusive hotels for one cent a night, only to then get caught by showing off on social media.
A 20-year-old Spanish resident from San Cristobal de la Laguna has been arrested for carrying out a cyberattack.
The victim? Luxury hotels.
The suspect, only named as Carlos so far, is accused of manipulating the online payment systems attached to a travel website to book hotel stays worth €1,000 per night, but only paying €0.01 for his reservation.
Police say he conducted ‘fraudulent manipulation of the electronic payment system.’
The alleged hacker was arrested on February 6 while staying at a luxury hotel in Madrid, with the case now being considered one of the first cybercrimes of its kind.
Investigators say Carlos revealed his crimes by openly posting pictures of his lush stay at Madrid’s Ritz on Instagram.
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Making it worse for himself, the young man chose to use his real identity when checking into the accommodation.
The self-proclaimed music producer was caught, donned in a tracksuit, after police compared security footage to a previous incident at a Tenerife hotel that matched his name to a previous criminal record.
The damage caused by the dodgy scheme is estimated around €20,000.
The young man’s motive appears to be financial gain through securing high-end hotel stays at virtually no cost.
It wasn’t just the hotel stay he scammed, either – the suspect is accused of dipping out on the bill for minibar items as well.
Police claim the suspect modified the price on PayPal to enter the minimum amount of €0.01.
The fraud was detected after the company were flagged about the incorrect payment amount and noticed suspicious activity.
The Policia Nacional conducted the highly complex investigation within just four days of the initial complaint on February 2 to track down the cybercriminal.
The suspect is facing charges of computer fraud and hacking. However, the case remains open at this time, so further charges may be filed.
After getting released from custody, Carlos flew off to the next best place for a slice of luxury: Dubai.
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