scams – Author Carlo Carrasco

BSP Warns Public About Text Hijacking

November 22, 2025November 21, 2025carlocarrasco

If you received a text message containing links, you better avoid clicking on those links as scammers have gotten more sophisticated with technology to steal money, access to personal accounts and personal data from victims through mobile communication. That being said, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has warned the public about text hijacking, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) warned the public on Friday that only scammers would send links through the short messaging system (SMS) or text message.

BSP, in a press release, said legitimate banks, e-money issuers, and other financial entities will not send links, even though the messages look like it came from these regulated institutions.

This scheme is called text hijacking that “involves scammers inserting fake messages into legitimate text threads to make them look authentic.”

“These messages often contain malicious links designed to steal access to victims’ financial accounts and are usually accompanied by urgent prompts such as notifications of expiring rewards, unauthorized transactions, or account verification requests to pressure recipients into clicking the link,” it said.

Reports about fraudulent text messages continue to rise, the BSP noted.

This, even as the central bank and other financial institutions have increased their education campaign aimed to inform the public about this scam.

The public is advised to avoid clicking links in text messages or e-mails even if they appear to come from banks or e-money issuers; enable multi-factor authentication to secure accounts and never share personal or financial details with anyone.

If the account has been compromised, contact the bank or e-money issuer through official channels: https://bit.ly/BSPScamAlert

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Where you ever a victim of text hijacking? What do you think government and financial institutions should do to find the scammers and have them all arrested?

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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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Parañaque Online Scam Hub Raided By CIDG, 14 Suspects Apprehended

August 26, 2025August 17, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Parañaque, operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) successfully raided an online scam hub, seized several pieces of equipment and arrested fourteen suspects, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested 14 people, including a female foreigner, following a raid in an online scam hub in Parañaque City.

CIDG director Brig. Gen. Christopher Abrahano said the operation also resulted in the rescue of a minor who was hired as one of the scammers in what he called ” online task job scam”.

“This underscores our unyielding fight against trafficking in persons, child abuse, and cybercrimes. With this, we significantly prevented future ‘online task job scam’ from happening,” he said.

Abrahano explained that the modus of the syndicate is to operate through the online messaging application “Telegram” where the suspects/scammers send links to their intended victims. Each suspect, he said, is assigned to 600 Telegram accounts to contact potential victims.

The CIDG chief said that once the link is accessed, the victims are directed to a so-called “task job,” which assigns simple online tasks such as liking the pages of hotel packages. After the completion of these tasks, the victims are instructed to open a Binance account – cryptocurrency account.

After creating the account, Abrahano said the scammers would require the victims to deposit funds into it. The victims are subsequently directed to transfer the deposited funds into a Binance account allegedly managed by the arrested Chinese manager.

“The scammers/suspects will lure victims that the transferred money will generate profit or accrue interest, promising continuous growth of the investment,” said Abrahano.

This misrepresentation forms the basis of the fraudulent scheme, ultimately leading to financial loss on the part of the victims,” he added.

During the raid in Barangay Tambo, CIDG operatives seized 70 desktop computers, cellular phones, computer peripherals, vault, dormitory pass IDs, and passports. They also discovered cryptocurrency account numbers.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think there could still be a lot more online scam hubs operating secretly within the city? Do you think scamming in Parañaque will only get worse in the next six months?

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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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Cybercrime complaints tripled in 2024, victims lost almost P200 million

February 11, 2025February 2, 2025carlocarrasco

Was there anyone in your local community who got scammed many times last year? Based on the findings of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), cybercrime complaints more than tripled in 2024 and victims lost almost P200 million as well, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news article of the PNA. Some parts in boldface…

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) on Friday said there were a total of 10,004 cybercrime complaints filed with their office in 2024, more than three times the 3,317 complaints in 2023.

In a statement Friday, CICC Executive Director Undersecretary Alexander Ramos said the total amount lost by cybercrime victims reached almost PHP198 million last year alone.

He attributed the exponential increase in the number of complaints to the growing awareness of the public on cybercrimes and their willingness to report.

“In previous years, people were not aware that they were being scammed and many were not also aware of where to file their complaints,” Ramos said.

Of the total, around 3,534 complaints, or 35 percent were consumer fraud, these include non-delivery of goods or services and fake advertisements.

On the other hand, there were 3,242 online fraud complaints, or 32 percent of the total. This includes financial fraud, impersonation, job scams, investment scams, and love scams.

Other types of complaints were unsolicited communication, illegal access, identity theft, sexual cybercrimes, phishing, and cyberlibel.

He added that GCash was the top wallet used by victims of consumer fraud, online fraud, and phishing, with a total loss of PHP76.49 million to its users.

Other financial platforms used by victims were BPI with PHP28.47 million losses, GoTyme with PHP15.38 million, and PayMaya with PHP13.99 million.

He called on victims of scams to call the government’s toll-free hotline at 1326.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? Were you scammed in 2024? Do you think that banks and e-wallet companies should enhance security of their respective apps to protect their users from the cyber criminals and scammers? Do you personally know anyone who lost a lot of money because he or she got scammed while using GCash?

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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Malacañang declares February 13 a non-working day in Parañaque City in celebration of cityhood anniversary

February 2, 2025January 31, 2025carlocarrasco

Very recently, Malacañang Palace issued Proclamation Number 792 formally declaring the date of February 13, 2025 a non-working day in Parañaque City marking its 27^th cityhood anniversary, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The proclamation was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin by the authority of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Malacañang has declared Feb. 13 a non-working holiday in Parañaque City in celebration of the city’s 27th Cityhood Anniversary.

Parañaque City Mayor Eric Olivarez said the declaration was made through Proclamation No. (792) to give city residents the opportunity to participate in and enjoy the celebration.

Olivarez said the city government prepared various activities, including medical services, from Jan. 27 to Feb. 15.

He said the cityhood anniversary kicked off with the presentation of candidates for the much-awaited search for “Gandang Mamita and Gwapitong Papito” on Monday, Jan. 27. The search for the “Ginoo and Binibining Parañaque” will be held on Feb. 4.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Parañaque City, what is your reaction to this recent development? How interested are you to participate or witness the scheduled activities related to the 27^th anniversary of Parañaque’s cityhood? Do you think the 27^th cityhood anniversary will help you forget about the rampant crime in Parañaque that involved foreigners?

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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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

Eight Chinese nationals arrrested in Parañaque over phishing scam, one suspect still on the loose

January 30, 2025January 23, 2025carlocarrasco

Recently in Parañaque City, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) supported by representatives of theDigital Forensic Laboratory (DFL) arrested eight Chinese nationals suspected of involvement in online phishing, but one other suspect remains at large, according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). Pieces of evidence were found at the site of the crime.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Eight Chinese nationals allegedly engaged in online phishing operations were arrested in Parañaque City, the National Bureau of Investigation announced on Wednesday.

In a news release, the NBI identified the arrested suspects as Xiao Li, Chuan Zi Gao, Ming Ru Li, Wen Shu Liu, Qui Shun Li, Cai Li Pan, Changfu Liu, and Zhang Zhen. A ninth suspect, Hwang Xiaobin, remains at large.

NBI Director Jaime Santiago said the suspects were engaged in investment fraud, crypto asset/currency scam, romance scam and identity theft through the use of social engineering and digital communication schemes.

Following surveillance on Jan. 14, a warrant to search, seize, and examine computer data (WSSECD) was granted by RTC Paranaque City against the group.

On Jan. 17, NBI operatives, together with representatives from the Digital Forensic Laboratory (DFL) implemented the WSSECD.

DFL representatives conducted an onsite examination on a laptop and a desktop found on the site and discovered transcript template of phishing and/or social engineering schemers used in obtaining sensitive information of another person.

Financial transactions of crypto currency scams were also found during the examination, the NBI said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, have you grown tired about your city being such a hot spot of illegal operations, scams and crime involving foreign nationals? What do you think made Parañaque a favorite destination for the remnants of POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators) and scammers involving foreigners?

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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Ten foreign nationals arrested in Parañaque City village for alleged scamming activities

January 24, 2025January 23, 2025carlocarrasco

Very recently in Parañaque City, ten foreign nations were arrested by elements of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for alleged online scamming, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. The apprehension took place inside a village.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Ten foreigners have been arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a subdivision in Paranaque City where they were found allegedly conducting online scamming activities.

In a statement, the NBI said the 10 foreigners were arrested by operatives of the NBI National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) during the service of a Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD) at a residence in Multinational Village in Paranaque City.

It said all the 10 foreigners face charges of violating Republic Act (RA) 12010, the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act.

The NBI identified seven of the foreigners as Vietnamese nationals Phan Viet Ngan, Do Anh Tuan, Nguyen Duc Anh, Phan Kim Sang, Vo Hong Sy, Nguyen Van Khanh, and Doan Van Dung.

The other foreigners were identified as Chinese nationals Zhang Ming Yi, Xin Yao Huang and Himen Chen.

The NBI said that during the operation, seized from the suspects were computers and transcripts with Chinese characters.

“Based on the seized translated transcripts, Subjects are indeed engaged in phishing and scamming activities,” it said.

“In addition, Operating System Triage conducted on the seized computer units revealed the illegal activities of the Subjects like romance scam, fictitious messaging accounts, fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes and fake investment solicitations,” it added.

The NBI said the operation was conducted after NBI-NCR received “an intelligence report that groups of foreign nationals are engaged in Investment Fraud, Crypto Asset or Crypto Currency Scam, Artificial Intelligence scam and High Yield Investment Program (HYIP), Romance scam and identity theft through the use of social engineering scheme and digital communication systems.”

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, do you think that there could still be a lot more illegal operations secretly happening in residential communities with foreigners doing the work? When was the last time an online scamming operation was discovered in your local community?

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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8 illegal aliens who were arrested in Alabang will be deported

November 4, 2024November 2, 2024carlocarrasco

The eight illegal aliens – seven Chinese nationals and one Vietnamese citizen – who were recently arrested inside Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City, will soon be deported by the Bureau of Immigration (BI), according to a news article by the Philippine News Agency (PNA). All of the suspects were found to be undocumented and also under suspicion of scamming.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

The eight foreigners apprehended for illegally staying in the country at a village in Muntinlupa City are set for deportation, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Friday.

Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado, in a news release, said seven Chinese nationals and a Vietnamese national were arrested by operatives of the BI’s intelligence division along three streets inside the village on Oct. 22.

“The homeowner association representatives of the Ayala Alabang Village were very helpful in helping us verify target areas,” he said in statement.

All of them were found to be undocumented — two of whom were also found to be overstaying while one was suspected to be an illegal entrant.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) earlier reported that items used for online scamming were seized from the suspects.

Viado noted that they have received information that smaller “pockets” of scamming hubs are forming after the closure of big Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hubs in the country.

“We have found reason to file deportation cases against them. They will be considered undesirables once their cases are resolved, and face deportation,” the BI chief added.

The operation was conducted with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) and the NBI National Capital Region (NCR).

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, are you delighted that the local authorities arrested the illegal aliens and prevented them from proceeding with scams? Do you think there are small groups from POGOs that could be secretly operating in your local community?

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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Parañaque City scam hub raided, Chinese nationals arrested

September 21, 2024September 16, 2024carlocarrasco

Recently in the City of Parañaque, local authorities raided a scam hub and arrested four Chinese nationals, according to a news report by the Philippine Star. The report also includes the arrest of a Chinese fugitive as a result of a separate operation in Parañaque.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Philippine Star report. Some parts in boldface…

Four Chinese were arrested recently during a raid on a suspected cryptocurrency investment and love scam hub in Parañaque City.

The facility reportedly posed as a licensed Philippine offshore gaming operator to conceal its illegal activities.

Wei Hanbing, 33; Wang Bo, 32; Wang Zhaoshan, 37, and Guo Dong, 26 were detained on Aug. 31 at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig. Authorities have turned them over to the Bureau of Immigration (BI).

Meanwhile, Zhang Xi, 38, who is wanted by the Chinese government and the Interpol, was apprehended on Sept. 8 in Parañaque, according to BI fugitive search unit chief Rendel Ryan Sy.

Zhang allegedly led an online criminal ring that designed a computer virus to remotely control around 4,200 computers in China, which gained over seven million yuan in ill-gotten profits since 2023.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be a lot more Chinese criminals secretly doing illegal operations within your local community? Why is it that Parañaque is still a hot spot for POGOs, scam hubs and criminal activities involving Chinese nationals?

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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Parañaque City scam hub raided, 99 suspects arrested

August 23, 2024August 22, 2024carlocarrasco

Very recently in the city of Parañaque, local authorities raided an alleged scam hub in Barangay Baclaran resulting in the arrests of almost one hundred suspects who were mostly foreigners, according to a Philippine News Agency (PNA) news article.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the PNA news article. Some parts in boldface…

Authorities apprehended nearly 100 Filipino and foreign workers during a raid at an alleged online scam hub in Parañaque City on Thursday morning.

In a report, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, said police operatives swooped down on the office of AIA Company on the 9th floor of Centrium Tower 1 on L. San Pedro Street corner J. Maceda Street in Barangay Baclaran at about 2 a.m.

Among those arrested were Nan Shan, Detu Su, and Wu Jian Bin, who were identified as the manager, owner, and supervisor of the company, respectively.

Aside from the three, 64 other foreigners – 56 Chinese nationals, four Malaysians, two Myanmar nationals, an Indonesian, and a Vietnamese national – and 32 Filipinos were nabbed.

Nartatez said the operation stemmed from confirmed intelligence reports that the establishment was engaged in cryptocurrency investment and love scams by posing as a licensed offshore gaming operator.

He added that the company is not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Investigation disclosed that the company utilizes their CSRs (customer service representatives) in fraudulently portraying a character, such as a wealthy model who would entice prospect victims to invest in the manipulated cryptocurrency exchange/trading platform, with fraudulent intent,” he said.

During the raid, NCRPO officers found rooms where indecent shows could be filmed.

“While conducting inquiries to them, the Filipino nationals manifested that they (CSRs) were forced to work as scammers, while the models were being forced to dress in a seductive manner and perform lascivious conduct, which the CSRs will portray in order to lure their prospect victim,” Nartatez said.

Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be even more scam hubs secretly doing illegal operations within the city? Do you think the remnants of closed Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) have secretly been flocking to Parañaque to set up scam hubs?

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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NBI operatives arrest 5 foreigners and 24 locals in Cavite for involvement in varied scams

August 22, 2024August 13, 2024carlocarrasco

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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