7 online employment scammers fall in Pasay

MANILA – Members of the Philippine National Police’s Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) arrested seven alleged scammers preying on jobseekers searching for opportunities online.

In a statement Wednesday, ACG chief Brig. Gen. Joel Doria said the suspects Kimberly Santillan, 43; Rosalie Verceles, 53; Lailani Bregoli, 25; Mary Jane Cuevas, 24; Zenaida Navarro, 47; Mary Jane Reyes, 46; and Simone Louise Austria, 21 were arrested inside a building along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue corner Taft Avenue, Barangay 146, Pasay City on Tuesday afternoon.

Investigation showed that the suspects created a bogus Facebook page of a legitimate employment agency to defraud j obseeker s.

After the creation of the fake Facebook page, the suspects shared the page across all other group chats that offer job opportunities.

“The modus of these scammers is to make the unsuspecting victims believe that there is indeed a job opportunity waiting for successful applicants through the creation of a fake Facebook Page imitating the accounts of a legitimate hiring agency,” Doria said.

Maj. Franklin Lacana, team leader of the Southern District AntiCybercrime Team (SDACT), said victims who inquired about job offers were asked by the suspects to report physically to their Taft Avenue office for an interview, where they were prohibited to talk to one another or even use their mobile phones.

Applicants were then asked to fill up an application form and pay PHP300 as a processing fee and PHP1,300 as medical fees.

“We continuously remind everyone to be vigilant and cynical with regards to advertisements you see posted online or thru other social media where anyone can pretend to be somebody or some agency they are truly not,” Doria said.

He said the suspects are facing charges for identity theft, swindling/ estafa, and violation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.

The suspects are now under the custody of the SDACT for booking procedures and will be turned over to the ACG’s detention cell before the conduct of inquest proceedings. (PNA)