Some online lending, travel packages among new scams –PNP cybercrime unit

The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group said some online lending and travel packages are among the emerging scams, a report from GMA's “24 Oras” said Thursday.

 

In the report, two victims shared how they were swindled with the new types of online scams.

 

“Na engganyo ako sumali kasi in three days 'yung P1500 ko magiging P2500. Ininvite ko 'yung kumare ko, 'yung pinsan ko,” the victim said.

 

She said she was easily persuaded to join the online lending scam since the group's head was her friend on Facebook.

 

But she found out the hard way that the group was an online scam a few days after she deposited her second investment.

 

“Hindi na siya ma-contact. Cannot be reached na 'yung phone niya tapos 'yung Facebook niya dineactivate niya tapos 'yung group page dinelete niya,” she said.

 

Another online scam victim said she encountered the modus in a classified ads website through a cheap travel package.

 

“Lahat ng mga tanong ko may sagot din sila like saan 'yung physical location nila, email address, 'yung personal phone number tapos 'yung landline ng office nila,” the victim said.

 

But her booking confirmation never came after paying via remittance center so she decided to call them up.

 

“Iba iba na 'yung names na ginagamit nila kasi nga pinagpapasa pasahan na ako. Tapos sinabi din nila na 'yung name ko daw pati ng friends ko gagamitin nila pang scam,” she said.

 

P/Supt. Jay Guillermo from the PNP-ACG said online scams which recorded 366 cases from 2013 to 2015 had the most number of complaints related to incidents of cyber crime in the country.

 

“Katulad sa pagbili mo ng gamit sa internet, mura. Sa investment naman magbigay ka ng isang libo after one week kikita siya ng dalawang libo. Nakaka enganyo doon sa mga nakakakita sa internet,” he said.

 

“If it's too good to be true well it's not true kasi nga lahat naman po yan may scam lalong lalo na pag nanghihingi ng pera,” he added.  — Andrei Medina/ELR, GMA News