The Venezuelan content creator @kerlysbustos took to her TikTok account to warn about what she described as a “new scam method in Spain.” According to her account, the incident occurred after she posted an ad to sell her car. "I received a call from someone who seemed very interested. They claimed to work for Flexicar, a company involved in car buying and selling here in Spain. They said they would send a deposit via Bizum for the car and that on Friday, when I handed over the car, they would give me the rest of the money."
Although everything appeared to be a legitimate transaction, Kerlys became suspicious when no money arrived: "They said the money was on hold and that I needed to confirm it through the Bizum app, but I hadn't received anything. I had just seen videos warning about this type of scam, so I didn't fall for it." During the phone call, which she recorded and shared on her account, the scammer insisted she confirm the transaction: "They told me to check pending transactions and accept, but I knew that was a ploy to take money from me."
Community Reactions and Similar Experiences
Kerlys's experience quickly sparked reactions and testimonies from others who have encountered similar situations. One user commented: "I regularly send and receive Bizum, but the receiver never has to confirm anything." Another added: "Companies don't use Bizum." A follower shared: "The same thing happened to me with an apartment rental... They wanted to pay without seeing it and kept insisting on Bizum."
Some users also highlighted peculiar aspects of the scam. One pointed out: "PC Componentes is a company that sells computers, it has nothing to do with cars." Another mentioned: "The same thing happened to me when selling a motorcycle." Meanwhile, someone else wrote: "I don't understand how this scam works, what do you have to accept and how does the theft occur?"
Gratitude and Awareness
Many thanked @kerlysbustos for sharing her experience. "Thank you for posting your video, it helps many of us," one user expressed. "Well done recording it and calling it out," commented another. Another follower shared: "The same thing happened to me, but in my case, the scam didn't work."
Despite typically not posting this kind of content, the young Latina felt it was important to share to alert others. "I don't usually publish videos like this, but it just happened to me, and I had just seen these warning videos. I thought, I have to share it."
This situation, known as the “Reverse Bizum,” serves as a reminder not to confirm transactions in banking apps without being certain of their legitimacy. In response to the rise of scams like these, the National Police in Spain recently issued alerts to citizens explaining the scam and how to avoid falling victim to it.