Suspects swap P5.5 million for paper in sports car scam

Authorities have arrested one of two suspects accused of swapping a victim’s P5.5 million—intended as payment for a sports car—with bundles of paper.

According to John Consulta’s exclusive report on 24 Oras Monday, the victim was set to buy a sports car advertised online. The suspects, posing as Bureau of Customs employees, arranged to meet the buyer and conducted the transaction inside a vehicle.

Manila Police District (MPD) Director Brigadier General Thomas Ibay said the suspects counted the cash in front of the victim before sealing it in a brown envelope. 

Unbeknownst to the victim, they had switched the money with paper. The scam was only discovered when the victim later opened the envelope after failing to contact the suspects.

“Nasilaw lang ako dahil sa in-offer ng mga manlolokong iyon. And after that, doon ko lang na realize na too good to be true yung in-offer nila,” the victim said.

(I was blinded by their offer. Only then did I realize it was too good to be true.)

Using CCTV footage, MPD tracked the suspects to Caloocan. The arrested 63-year-old man, seen wearing the same cap in the CCTV footage, denied involvement.

“Sa akin po yan, pero di ko po nakausap yung sinasbing biktima. Wala po akong alam sa pagbibilang ng pera,” he said.

(That cap is mine, but I never spoke to the victim. I don’t know anything about counting money.) 

Police revealed that the suspect was on probation for illegal possession of fake treasury notes.

The suspects face charges of syndicated estafa and theft, while authorities continue to search for the female accomplice. The stolen money remains unrecovered. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/DVM, GMA Integrated News