CIDG nabs operator of fraudulent info service agency

CEBU, Philippines - The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7) arrested two people including the alleged operator of a fraudulent information service agency in Don Pedro Cui St., Barangay San Antonio, yesterday.

Insp. Delfin Bontuyan, who led the raid, identified the suspects as Rebecca Paracuelles and Argie Avendula, who were caught working at We Talk Review Center and Consultancy at 10 am.

The CIDG operatives carried out the raid by virtue of a search warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Eric Menchavez of Branch 21, dated February 13.

Bontuyan said Paracuelles was the subject of the warrant who, based on the information gathered, was the operator of the agency.

The police confiscated Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) machines, laptops, computer monitors, modems, cellular phones, telephone sets, and subscriber identity module (SIM) cards, among others from the place.

The warrant stemmed from the complaint of Globe Telecommunications, upon noticing that they were not able to make outbound calls recently.

They then sought CIDG’s help, said Jojo Viray, Security Operations Specialist of Globe Telecomm Visayas and placed the agency under surveillance.

Viray said the fraudulent agency diverts international calls to its own system, that it becomes a local call when it reaches subscribers.

“So sa international calls, sila na ang kumikita. Ang kikitain namin is ang local rate na,” Viray said. He said the agency applied for a postpaid plan at their office for 31 accounts.

Because of this, Viray said their company suffered losses worth over P3 million since 2011, when the agency started its operation.

He further informed that the agency, which is not registered with the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), has its own broker abroad who gets clients to avail of its “services.”

Bontuyan said a case for violation of Republic Act 8484 or the Access Device Regulation Act will be filed against the suspects.

Paracuelles, who denied being the operator; and Avendula, the agency’s

I.T. specialist, refused to be interviewed by news reporters.  (FREEMAN)