Three arrested in alleged €600,000 Fuengirola fraud

February 5, 2014
MindTimeshare, the Spanish-based organisation that helps to help timeshare owners who are the victims of rogue operators, has announced a major breakthrough in Fuengirola.

Three people that were behind nine companies that allegedly defrauded hundreds of European timeshare owners out of €600,000 were arrested last year following a report lodged with the police in Fuengirola.

The companies’ alleged modus operandi involved cold calling timeshare owners purporting to be calling from a Spanish law office and informing them that a case had been ruled in the Spanish courts against their resort and that a fund of money had been set aside for ‘victims’.

On submission of fake documents to the timeshare owner, a payment of between €1,500 and €4,000 was taken to cover supposed services such as notary fees and court administration fees.

The companies involved are:
Leon Cardenal
Galans Sanz
Notaria Silva Freitas De La Fuente
Notaria J Felix Uehlinger
Alondra Y Calinda
Bufete Alvarez Y Velazquez
Asociacion Hernandez Y Suarez
Ubeda Felix Y Asociados
Callejo Garcia Sl.

The case is now under the jurisdiction of the Court of Fuengirola and more information will be available in due course.

Above excerpts and read the full article on www.rciventures.com

Source THE OLIVE PRESS

 

 

La Ley de Tasas Judiciales

LAWYERS FEES AND THE NO WIN – NO FEE SITUATION IN SPAIN

Lawyers’ fees are set by provincial professional bodies (Ilustre Colegio de Abogados), although individual lawyers often set much higher fees. In general Spanish Lawyers´ fees are lower than those charged by lawyers in northern European countries, starting with a simple consultation of less than half an hour costing from €50.  We do not charge to assess any documents prior to any decision to proceed.  When preparing contracts involving a sum of money, e.g. misrepresentation, these fees are calculated as a percentage of the sum involved upon completion.

Contingent or conditional fee system for litigation (no win no fee) isn’t currently legal in Spain, but it’s under ‘consideration’ so at present ‘No win, no fee’ lawsuits are illegal in Spain.

A new act was passed by the  Parliament in 2012, where everyone; no matter which nationality; who is taking a case to court, has to deposit funds DIRECTLY with the lawyers who are taking the case to the courts for the court time, court clerks etc.  In effect this stops any frivolous cases being taken to court and wasting the courts´ time.  The Proviso de Fondos or provisions of funds we ask from you to take this case forward are covered in this.  This law is called la Ley de Tasas Judiciales and came into force on 22 November 2012

We hope this information is helpful to you in understanding how the Spanish Legal System works.