28K SIM cards with e-wallets seized in Pasay scam hub

Around 28,000 pre-registered SIM cards with verified e-wallet accounts have been recovered in a Philippine Offshore Gaming Operator (POGO) establishment in Pasay City previously raided over its alleged involvement in online scams.

According to Jun Veneracion’s report on “24 Oras” Thursday, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said it retrieved some of the SIM cards in the trash cans after receiving a tip from an informant.

“Chinek namin yung mga basurahan at nakita namin nandun sa basurahan. Siguro nag hihintay lang ito ng tamang timing at ilalabas nila,” said PAOCC Executive Director Gilberto Cruz.

(We checked the garbage cans and we saw the SIM cards there. Maybe they were waiting for the right time to get them.)

“Nagtataka lang kami, bakit mayroon tayong ganito na pre-registered cards na pwedeng gamiting ng kidnappers, online scammers. Pwedeng gumawa yan syempre ng illegal online games. Ang iniisip lang namin kung nagkalat ang ganito, hindi namin masasawata 'yung pagdami ng online crimes na nangyayari ngayon. Mga scams,” Cruz added.

(We’re wondering why there are any pre-registered SIM cards that can be used by kidnappers and online scammers. They can operate illegal online games with it. If these SIMs continue to be distributed, then how can we curb online crimes?)

A digital forensic examination of the SIM cards found they were registered with verified e-wallet accounts containing money amounting to P100,000 to P500,000.

“Lahat ng nakukuha nila, nakukulimbat nila sa kanilang mga nabibiktima, pinapasok nila sa isang SIM card. Minimum P100,000, maximum is half a million. Then ifa-funnel nila sa isang cellphone, na siyang nag co-collect. Ipapasa naman nila sa isang digital platform abroad,” PAOCC Spokesperson Alvin Lacson said.

(All of the money they have scammed goes to a SIM card with an e-wallet. The minimum amount is P100,000 while the maximum is P500,000. They will funnel the funds to a mobile phone that will collect all of it and transfer the money to a digital platform abroad.)

Apart from the SIM cards, also seized in the POGO hub are papers indicating the e-wallet account numbers, their respective amounts, and the passwords for the accounts.

“We are still in the process of digital forensic investigation. We have to seek help from the NTC to freeze ang pera na yun,” Casio added.

GMA Integrated News reached out to the National Telecommunication Commission and telecommunication companies for their comments.

Last week, authorities recovered P3.5 million worth of cash, financial documents, mobile phones, tasers, and ammunition from the vaults of the POGO hub. The establishment was raided on August 1 over alleged cyber scams, including love scams.

Meanwhile, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin instructed Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco to begin the deportation of the over 200 foreign nationals arrested during the raid.

Bersamin likewise directed the Anti-Money Laundering Council to freeze the assets of the POGO operator.

The BI issued a commitment order to transfer the 27 foreigners to the Pasay City jail. The eight high-value foreign nationals will remain at the immigration detention center.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News