Two suspects behind a scam
involving safety devices for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have been arrested
in an entrapment operation led by the Philippine National
Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) with the aid of GCash, the country’s
leading mobile wallet. Along with the sale of LPG gas safety devices the scam also involved alleged processing
fees for a refund which the victim availed of, amounting to Php 1.7 million.
The suspects were identified
as Mary Joy Cubilla, 24, and Jommel Cubilla, 21, both residents of Longos,
Malabon.
The complainant narrated that
the suspects introduced themselves as housing census officers who presented a
complete package of LPG safety devices. Convinced that the package is a
necessity, the complainant availed of the offer. The complainant was later
informed she can avail of a refund, provided she would pay processing fees to
various agencies. After paying the processing fees, the victim received a call
from a certain Joseph Reyes who claimed to be the Vice President of Resource
Fund Incorporated (RFI), informing the complainant that the refund was already
available in their office if the complainant would send another payment.
By this time, the complainant
had already realized that it is a scam and reported the incident to the
PNP-ACG, which then conducted an entrapment operation.By agreeing to pay the
suspects an additional P10,000, police operatives were able to track down Mary
Joy Cubilla and waited for her to withdraw the money. Later on, Jommel Cubilla
was also tracked down and arrested and charged for being an accomplice.
By closely cooperating with
the PNP-ACG, GCash is able to have a deeper knowledge of the workings of
scammers and fraudsters. Having a user
base of 81 million with the end goal of financial inclusion, GCash considers
the online safety of its users as a top priority. Alongside collaboration with
law enforcement authorities against scammers and fraudsters, GCash also works
hard in promoting public awareness of these cybercriminal activities so that
users can anticipate and avoid them. Aside from the PNP, GCash is currently in close coordination with
the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Cybercrime Investigation
and Coordinating Center (CICC).
GCash also urges its users to
be extra vigilant and to never disclose their MPIN or OTP. With the rise in
phishing incidents, users are strongly advised never to click links, especially
from unknown senders.
For help and assistance,
contact the PNP-ACG via their hotlines at (02) 8414-1560, 0998-598-8116, or via
email at acg@pnp.gov.ph
To report scams and
fraudulent activities, visit the official GCash Help Center at
help.gcash.com/hc/en-us or message Gigi on the website and type, “I want to
report a scam.” GCash will never send private messages to ask for personal
information, especially the MPIN and One-Time Pin (OTP). Customers can also
reach out to the official GCash hotline 2882 for queries and other concerns.