Cybercrime suspects have been arrested for offering fake employment on Facebook and scamming job-seekers.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has arrested seven cybercrime suspects allegedly involved in offering fake employment online, a scam that still persists even after the government has taken measures to fight it.
Suspects were identified in Inquirer as 1) Kimberly Santillan, 43 2) Rosalie Verceles, 53 3) Lailani Bregoli, 25 4) Mary Jane Cuevas, 24 5) Zenaida Navarro, 47 6) Mary Jane Reyes, 46 7) and Simone Louise Austria, 21.
Their scam had been discovered when the PNP received complaints that these suspects copied and created a Facebook page of an employment agency to trick unsuspecting individuals. They would then use the fake account to offer job opportunities to online groups.
Then, the unsuspecting victims would be asked to report physically to the scammers’ office for interviews. Once arriving in the office, applicants are prohibited from talking or using their cellphone. Additionally, applicants are to fill out a form and pay P300 to process the papers and P1,300 for medical fees.
This method of scamming is called phishing by anti-cybercrime experts. It would steal user data which includes login credentials and credit card numbers. They were able to get money from the fraud along with their victims' personal information.
“This kind of modus continues to prey on innocent individuals who are seeking better opportunities but find themselves trapped in this illegal money-making scheme,” said PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. “We call on the public to take caution and check with the appropriate government agencies to verify the legitimacy of these so-called employers,” he added.
The arrested women will be facing criminal charges for computer-related identity theft, swindling or estafa, and violations of the Philippine Labor Code, all in connection with the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
Several causes have been attributed to the significant surge in work scams in the Philippines, including protracted lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the country's poor employment growth.
Because of this, the government and private sectors must act to address the unemployment and underemployment of the Filipinos so that they wouldn’t fall prey to such scams.
Tags: #CyberCrime, #Facebook, #Employment, #Fake, #PNP