PNP anti-cybercrime agents nab 19 scammers, vloggers in Cavite

By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan, Philippine News Agency

SCAMMERS. Agents of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group arrest 19 alleged scammers in an operation in Imus, Cavite on Aug. 23, 2024. The suspects were allegedly involved in a voice phishing scam in Cavite. (Photo courtesy PNP ACG via PNA)

MANILA – The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) has warned the public against fraudulent phone calls from those pretending to be bank representatives.

This, after the PNP anti-cybercrime agents arrested 19 suspects, including two vloggers, who allegedly engaged in ‘vishing’ (voice phishing) scams targeting bank depositors, in an operation in Imus, Cavite last Aug. 23.

In a statement on Thursday, PNP-ACG director Brig. Gen. Ronnie Francis Cariaga said the operation stemmed from a confirmed intelligence report of online scamming activities in another vishing and scamming hub in Cavite.

“From simple vishing to spear phishing, the suspects use information obtained from credit card applications and ledgers or spreadsheets, likely taken from third-party service providers of the banks, such as business process outsourcing (BPO) companies,” Cariaga said.

“The scammers then use this information to access and siphon money from their victims’ bank accounts,” he said.

Vishing is a fraudulent practice of making phone calls by posing as bank representatives, convincing individuals to update their old card and reveal their bank account details, such as credit card numbers, as well as providing their One-Time-Pin (OTP).

Armed with a search warrant, the ACG operatives raided the area and arrested 19 people inside with the help of local police, barangay officials, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

PNP-ACG spokesperson Police Lt. Warren Mae Arancillo said two of those arrested are popular vloggers with thousands of followers.

Seized from them were several SIM cards, mobile devices, laptops, assorted bank documents, ledgers, and scripts that are being used to defraud the victims.

The suspects will be charged with the violation of Republic Act (RA) 12010, or the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act which was recently signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr..

Separate cases for violations of RA 8484 (Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998), as amended, and RA 10173 (Data Privacy Act of 2012), both in relation to RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act) have also been filed against the suspects.