Love scam hub targeting foreigners raided in Angeles City

Authorities raided a building in Angeles, Pampanga from where love scams targeting foreigners were allegedly run, John Consulta reported Thursday on 24 Oras.

Working on a tip, operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) caught about 85 individuals working on computers from which they would allegedly target foreign social media users and draw them into a "love scam" to get them to make a crypto investment.

“Vinerify natin yung impormasyon na 'yan. Pagkatapos natin i-ascertain na may existing illicit na ginagawa itong opisina, nag-apply tayo ng warrant to search, seize and examine computer data. Ang ginagawa nila pumupunta sa social media, itong mga dating sites,” NBI Region 3 director Jun Carpreso.

(We are verifying that information. After we verified that there were illicit activities in the office, we obtained a warrant to search, seize, and examine computer data. What they would do is go to social media dating sites.)

Among those arrested was one of the women allegedly used by the group to make video calls to the victims.

“Naghahanap sila ng potential investors na foreigners, American o European. Usually yung retired ang gusto nila, yung walang ginagawa. Alam nila may pension,”Carpreso.

(They are looking for foreign investors, American or European. Usually, they want a retired person who is doing nothing. They know those foreigners have pensions.)

The confiscated cellphones and computers are being examined under a digital warrant to identify the foreign victims.

GMA Integrated News is reaching out to the arrested individuals who are facing charges of violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act and are under NBI Region 3 custody. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BM, GMA Integrated News