Police last week arrested a Palestinian from Ramallah suspected of defrauding dozens of Israelis out of nearly 3 million shekels through online marketplace scams.
Footage released Sunday shows elite Yamam counterterrorism officers carrying out the arrest during a raid in the center of Ramallah.
The arrest in Ramallah
(Video: Israel Police)
According to the investigation, the suspect, a man in his 50s, allegedly posed as an Israeli living in northern Israel and contacted sellers offering items for sale on online platforms, including Yad2 and other sites. After agreeing on a price, he sent the sellers a forged confirmation of a bank transfer.
Believing payment had been made, the victims handed over the merchandise. A taxi then collected the items from the sellers’ homes and transferred them to another vehicle, usually near the settlement of Beit Aryeh in Samaria. The goods were ultimately delivered to the suspect’s home in Ramallah.
Among the items taken were laser hair removal machines and professional photography equipment.
By the time victims discovered the payment confirmations were fake, the products could no longer be recovered. About 100 complaints were filed by Israeli citizens between 2024 and 2025, with the total value of the alleged fraud estimated at around 3 million shekels.
During the raid, police seized evidence that will be examined as part of the investigation. A court has extended the suspect’s detention until Wednesday.