The campaign against scammers made a notable achievement recently as National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) operatives arrested five foreigners and twenty-four locals in Cavite for their involvement in different kinds of scams, according to a GMA Network news report. It turns out, the scammers were a splintered group of a certain Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA news report. Some parts in boldface…
Operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) have arrested five foreigners and 24 Filipinos in Cavite for involvement in various types of scams.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, NBI director Jaime Santiago said the NBI-Cybercrime Division caught the foreigners, composed of three Chinese nationals and two Malaysian nationals, and the Filipinos in the act in a subdivision in Kawit.
“These 24 Filipinos are working with them para mag-commit ng [to commit] romance scam, investment scam, cryptoscams, impersonation scams, and… credential stopping. They are supervised by these foreigners,” Santiago said.
Meanwhile, NBI Cybercrime Division Chief Atty. Jeremy Lotoc said this was a splintered group of a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) hub.
Instead of operating in an office, he said the group has shifted to residential units.
“From different departments, from different locations, and purpose nila sa compartmentalization na ito is to avoid exposure or detection from law enforcement,” Lotoc said.
(From different departments, from different locations, the purpose of their compartmentalization is to avoid exposure or detection from law enforcement.)
“So meron silang administration department, may operation department, may finance and money laundering department. Makikita niyo ‘yung nakaraang week, ‘yun ho ‘yung nahuli natin through entrapment, ‘yung operation nila is more on finance and laundering. Ito naman ngayon, ito purely operation,” he added.
(So they have an administration department, an operation department, a finance and money laundering department. You can see that the ones we arrested last week through entrapment, their operation is more on finance and laundering. This time, this is purely operational.)
Lotoc said he also believes that the group still has a “big boss.” He declined to give further details, saying that the NBI’s follow-up operation is ongoing.
Lotoc said they also discovered a “scam show room” filled with high-end products and luxury items, meant to create an illusion for victims.
“Doon ho nahu-hook yung ating mga kababayan at ibang mga foreign victims kasi they are believing na yung kausap nila is kaya silang payamanin din,” he said.
(That is what hooks our countrymen and the other foreign victims because they believe that the one they are talking to can make them rich.)
The NBI recovered pre-registered SIM cards, GCash accounts, computers, devices containing scripts, cellphones, and textplus machines, among others, during the operation.
Lotoc said the arrested individuals were charged under the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA). He also appealed to the public to stop being involved in such scams.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Do you think that there could more splintered groups from POGOs that could secretly operating in residential communities? Do you think that scammers could be hiding in your local community right now?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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