7 nabbed for selling e-wallet accounts to be used by scammers

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested seven suspects for allegedly selling verified E-wallet accounts to scammers.

According to John Consulta's report on 24 Oras, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Cybercrime Division conducted an entrapment operation at a restaurant along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on Wednesday night.

The authorities were able to confiscate the SIM cards that were registered to the e-wallets.

Aside from this, two other individuals were also caught in the act of selling their verified e-wallet accounts in a separate operation along East Avenue, Quezon City.

"We were able to intercept members of this group, sellers ,buyers and renters ng mga e-wallet accounts. Either pinapa-rentahan o binebenta nila sa mga buyers which can use in any online activity like scamming activity, investment scam activity,” said Atty. Jeremy Lotoc, NBI Cybercrime Division chief.

(We were able to intercept members of this group, sellers ,buyers, and renters of e-wallet accounts. They either rent or sell to buyers which can be used in any online activity like scamming activities, or investment scam activities.)

NBI said this modus operandi is used by syndicates and scammers to avoid being caught by authorities.

"Pag ang nahuli namin yung mismong naka-record, definitely he or she can deny just because ‘di naman niya hawak yung device o pwede niyang sabihin na-hack yung account ko. Kung ang mahuhuli naman natin ay yung nag-execute ng cybercrime, ito yung buyer kanina, then there is the danger of misattribution kasi ang record natin ang pangalan niya ay “ABC”, pero yung may hawak ng account na yan ay “DEF”," Lotoc explained.

(If we catch the person who's recorded in it, definitely he or she can deny it just because he or she is not in possession of the device, or he or she can say that my account was hacked. But if we catch the one who executed the cybercrime, this is the buyer earlier, then there is the danger of misattribution because our record says his name is "ABC", but the holder of that account is "DEF".)

The arrested individuals then explained why they were selling their e-wallets. Four of them said they were in need of money.

One, however, said he did not know it was illegal to sell e-wallet accounts.

"Hindi ko naman alam na bawal ibenta, akala ko yung bumibili ang bawal kaya naibenta ko po," he claimed.

With the new modus operandi, the NBI hopes new legislation can help them counter such activities.

"Meron tayong pending Senate bill about mule accounts, hopefully, mapasa na ito. Kung meron sana tayong batas specifically sa proliferation ng mule accounts, magiging effective ang ating law enforcement activity," Lotoc noted.

(We have a pending Senate bill about mule accounts, hopefully it would pass. If we had a law specifically on the proliferation of mule accounts, our law enforcement activity would be more effective.)

The seven suspects are facing complaints of violating Republic Act 8484 or the Access Device Act and Sim Registration Act.—Sherylin Untalan/RF, GMA Integrated News