2 Israelis, 7 Filipinos arrested for alleged forex trading scam in Pampanga 

Two Israelis and seven Filipinos were arrested for involvement in an alleged forex trading scam in an apartment in Angeles, Pampanga. 

According to John Consulta’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, the arrested individuals were caught working in rows of desktop computers inside the apartment during the raid by the Bureau of Immigration Fugitive Search Unit. 

“Itong grupo na ito isa din sa nag-viral dati sa Cebu kung saan na-hack yung kanilang CCTV at nakunan nga yung activity sa loob ng mga scammers na ito,” said  BI-FSU chief Rendel Sy. 

(This group is also the one that went viral before in Cebu where their CCTV was hacked and the activities of these scammers were caught on camera.) 

“Sa una ay bebentahan ka nila or aalukin ka nila ng mentoring na para matuto ka ng forex trading. So kapag na-hook ka na doon, papadalhan ka nila ng link or ng malware upang makontrol nila yung account mo at sa paraan ngang yun ay maari nga nilang ma-hack ang bank accounts,” he added. 

(At first, they will sell something to you or offer you mentoring to learn forex trading. So when you get hooked, they will send you a link or malware to control your account, and that way, they can hack your bank accounts as well.) 

The victims, who are based in other countries, are also lured by the Filipino scammers to invest again in the scheme despite already being hacked. 

The bureau said that it is coordinating with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group for further investigation. 

“Iko-coordinate din natin sa Canadian at sa Australian authorities na nakikipag-ugnayan din sa atin ngayon. Kasi napagalaman nila na may mga biktima din sa kanilang bansa,” said Sy. 

(We will also coordinate with Canadian and Australian authorities who are currently in touch with us. Because they found out that there are also victims in their countries.) 

GMA Integrated News is trying to get comments from the suspects who are now detained at BI’s detention facility in Bicutan. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News