NBI nabs 4 alleged seller of registered SIM cards

Four alleged sellers of registered SIM cards with verified e-wallet accounts were nabbed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in an entrapment operation, Marisol Abdurahman reported Thursday on “24 Oras."

“We were able to intercept ‘yung transaction nila between the seller and the buyer and then we will able to track them down,” said NBI Cybercrime Division chief Jeremy Lotoc.

(We were able to intercept the transaction between the seller and buyer and were able to track them down.)

According to the suspects, they are tasked to sell the registered SIM cards online but the verification is being done by members of a chat group.

Each SIM card is being sold at P700, one of them said, adding they sell at least 40 to 50 pieces per day.

Lotoc said patrons of the registered SIM cards include those involved in virtual casinos and online cockfighting (e-sabong) operations who can still access the e-wallet accounts despite its security features.

“Rampant online selling ng ating GCash verified accounts. Allegedly, they were saying na they can use it despite the fact na meron nang security features,” he added.

(Selling of Gcash accounts online is rampant. They said buyers can allegedly use it despite the security features.)

The arrested suspects are now facing charges of violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, the report said.

For its part, Gcash said it strengthened its security features to prevent online scams and lobbied for the passage of legislation that would criminalize the buying and selling of “mule accounts.”

It also advised users not to sell their accounts, never share their MPIN and one-time pin passwords, and not to open links included in emails or text messages.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News