The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), under the leadership of NBI Director Judge Jaime B. Santiago (Ret.), arrested seventeen (17) Chinese nationals engaged in scamming activities.
Director Santiago said that a Chinese national filed a complaint before the NBI- Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD), alleging that his friend was illegally detained, tortured, and forced to render services involuntarily, such as scamming and other money-making schemes. His passport was also hidden from him to control his mobility.
Intelligence gathering spotted The victim in La Casa Rabina, Tagaytay City. Thus, on October 15, 2024, NBI-CCD, together with the operatives from NBI-Special Task Force (NBI-STF) and NBI-Human Trafficking Division (NBI-HTRAD), hatched a joint rescue operation.
Occupants of the premises were caught flagrantly delicto engaging in scamming, money muling, social engineering schemes, and other nefarious activities, with numerous workstations surrounding the area. Mobile phones, SIM cards, written scripts, and other customer ledgers painted a vivid picture of organized deceit were also found.
Santiago added that controlled viewing and examination of the desktop's interface revealed several scripts, messaging applications with fictitious accounts, bank accounts, and fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms, suggesting massive fraudulent activities such as catfishing, credit cards, cryptocurrency, and fake investment scams.
The seventeen (17) Chinese nationals were placed under arrest for violation of Section 4(a) of RA 11862 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022) and Social Engineering Schemes under Section 4(b)(1) and Economic Sabotage under Section 4(c)(1) of RA 12010 (Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act) about RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012).
Director Santiago commended the CCD, STF, and HTRAD operatives for successfully apprehending Chinese nationals engaged in massive scamming activities. He stressed that the NBI continues to work tirelessly to uncover cybercriminals in the country, regardless of nationality.
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