Fake Guardia Civil texts target families of Urda rail crash victims

Some relatives of possible victims of the Urda rail accident in Toledo, Spain, have received fake text messages from people posing as the Guardia Civil. The messages claim that victims have been identified. The force has denied sending them and says such news is never delivered this way.

In a video on its official channels, a Guardia Civil spokesperson said identifications are communicated "in person and face to face, never via text message, WhatsApp or phone call". A call or a WhatsApp message is therefore no more valid than an SMS.

Official warnings

The warning does not come only from the Guardia Civil. The Data Integration Centre (CID), made up of forensic specialists and members of the security forces, has also flagged the impersonation. In a statement circulated by the High Court of Justice of Castilla-La Mancha, it asks those affected not to give any credibility to these messages.

The tactic resembles what cybersecurity experts call smishing. Spain's National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) describes it as a type of fraud aimed at obtaining information or compromising devices. In the Urda case, however, what is confirmed is only the impersonation of the Guardia Civil to announce supposed identifications. Few details about the content of the messages have emerged, and it is unknown who is behind them or how they obtained the relatives' phone numbers.

What families should do

The Guardia Civil has asked first-degree relatives of missing people to cooperate by visiting the offices set up for this purpose, where they can provide information and DNA samples to help establish identities. It urges them to go as soon as possible to speed up the work. Those who have already given their details will be contacted by officers when there is news.

Offices are open in four cities: Madrid (Batalla del Salado, 32), Seville (avenida de la Borbolla, 8), Córdoba (entrance via avenida de los Mozárabes) and Toledo (avenida Barber, 42). Four helplines are also available: 062 for the Guardia Civil, 900 122 112 for the Castilla-La Mancha emergency service, 900 10 10 20 for Renfe and 900 001 403 for Iryo. They provide information and support, but are not channels for notifying identifications.