German, 2 others nabbed in credit card scam

The National Bureau of Immigration (NBI) recently arrested a German national and two others suspected of being members of a credit card scam syndicate for illegally purchasing more than P400,000 worth of goods.

In a statement, NBI Director Nestor Mantaring identified the suspects as Reinhard Kurt Freier, 54; Jeffrey Landayan, 25; and Arturo Capacite, 39.

Mantaring said the three suspects were charged with violating Republic Act 8484, the access devices regulation law, before the Pasay City prosecutor’s office. Freier was also charged with violating a provision of the Revised Penal Code on the use of an alias.

Information gathered by the NBI-Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division (AFCCD), headed by Assistant Regional Director Vicente de Guzman III, showed that a man reported that he lost credit cards that were sent to him through the post office.

After making inquiries with his bank, the Westpac Bank of Australia, he discovered that several unauthorized purchases have been made at a Pasay City mall using his credit cards.

An NBI-AFCCD agent went to the mall to make inquiries on the items that were reportedly bought without the complainant’s approval. It turned out that the suspects were at the mall visiting computer shops at that time, prompting the agent to call for backup.

The suspects were arrested when they were caught allegedly buying a P69,980 laptop computer using the complainant’s name. The NBI allegedly found in Freier’s possession two credit cards bearing the complainant’s name, as well as four identification cards believed to be fake. – Evelyn Macairan