Pinoy, 20 Taiwanese, 2 Chinese arrested for telecom fraud

MANILA, Philippines - At least 20 Taiwanese, two Chinese and a Filipino were arrested in separate raids in Angeles City, Pampanga on Monday for telecom fraud in China.

Senior Superintendent Gilbert Sosa, director of the Anti-Cybercrime Group of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the arrests were in response to the letter-request of Wang Ben, police attaché of the embassy of People’s Republic of China dated Jan. 8, 2014, requesting assistance for the apprehension of Chinese nationals involved in the telecom fraud. 

Sosa said one of those arrested, Chien Fan Chen, is a fugitive in Taiwan and facing an illegal drugs case.

The raid was conducted on the strength of search warrants issued by Judge Lyliha Abella-Aquino of the Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 24.

Seized from the suspects were passbooks, assorted mobile phones, identification cards, CCTV cameras, assorted documents, laptops, network devices, telephone units, computer, assorted cards and a motor vehicle with no plate number believed to be used in their illegal activities.

Sosa said the modus operandi of the group is to call their intended victims, introduce themselves as police officers, prosecutor or judge and tell them that they are aware of the existence of their multi-million yuan bank account.

The syndicate members would then threaten to freeze the account unless the victims would deposit millions to a so-called “security bank account.”

Sosa said those arrested belong to the same group of at least 400 Chinese and Taiwanese arrested earlier by his men also for telecom fraud in China.

“These groups are using the same modus operandi in defrauding rich Chinese in mainland China. We are slowly busting them with the aid of the Chinese embassy in the country,” he said.