Scammer who took P68K worth of cellphone nabbed in Mandaluyong

Operatives of the Mandaluyong Police on Thursday arrested a scammer and his accomplice for ordering expensive cellphones from online sellers and then taking off without paying.

According to John Consulta’s report on “24 Oras,” the victim said the scammer, identified as Niño Maranan Bautista, had P68,000 worth of cellphone delivered to a house still under construction.

“Lumabas po siya, pinagbuksan niya po ako ng gate. 'Pag pasok po namin tinuturo po niya ‘yung mga kalapit bahay na malalaki na ‘bahay ko to, bahay ko ‘yan’,” the victim said.

Bautista said he would look for his brother before paying. The suspect, however, did not return, according to the victim.

“‘Ay, asan si kuya?’ Sabi niya. Tapos sabi naman nu’ng nagtatrabaho, andoon sa kabila. ‘Pupuntahan ko lang si kuya,’ sabi niya. Sabi ko, ‘sige po. Antayin ko na lang po kayo’,” the victim said.

The victim said he waited for fifteen minutes before asking the workers in the area if the suspect owned the houses.

“Sabi po nu’ng nagtatrabaho hindi daw po nila kilala. Nag-inquire lang po ng bahay. Doon na po ako nanlumo na, wala na po, nakuha na po yung cellphone,” he said.

Bautista was about to scam another online seller when the Mandaluyong Police arrested him.

“Itong online seller dalawa ang kanyang Facebook account o Facebook page na pinagbebentahan ng mga mamahalin na cellphone,” Mandaluyong Police chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Gauvin Unos said.

“’Yung unang Facebook page doon siya nabiktima. Nu’ng pagbukas niya sa pangalawang Facebook page niya, nag-order ulit ‘yung buyer na ‘yon. Akala niya na makaisa ulit siya,” he added.

The suspect said that he would sell the expensive cellphones at a lower price to immediately get rid of them.

“Maraming beses na ho. Pambili lang ho ng pagkain,” Bautista said.

“Sa akin pumupunta. Tapos kasi wala akong pera, kumukuha rin ako ng bayad para, ano, ibenta, ganon. Namo-morsyento lang ako kumbaga,” Malawi Panindigan, the accomplice, meanwhile said.

Due to this, Unos advised online sellers to know their customers.

“Siguraduhin ninyo na ‘yung tao na bibili sa inyo ay totoong account, totoong number, at saka meron kayong pang BI. At paki-advise doon sa mga delivery boy ninyo na iche-check muna kung talagang, tatanungin kung totoong sa kanila ‘yung mga bahay na ito,” he said.—Joahna Lei Casilao/LDF, GMA News