43 Taiwanese nabbed for online fraud

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – Forty-three Taiwanese nationals were arrested here Wednesday for their alleged involvement in cyber money laundering and telecommunication fraud.

Superintendent Bernard Yang, team leader of the police Anti-Cyber Crime Group, said a tip-off from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office led them to the group’s lairs in two subdivisions.

This is the third arrest this year. Last January, the Anti-Cyber Crime Group made arrests in Angeles City, Pampanga, and subsequently in Parañaque City.

“They transferred their operation to Iloilo City because police were hot on their trail in Metro Manila,” Yang said.

Yang said the group would call unsuspecting companies or individuals in China and Taiwan claiming that they worked for the police, prosecutor’s office, courts, insurance companies, banks, and other financial institutions.

Yang said the group would accuse their victims of being involved in money laundering or fraud or funding terrorist activities, and would advise them to transfer their money to its accounts, which they did out of fear.

The suspects would be charged with violation of Republic Act 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998 in relation to RA 10175 of the Cyber Crime Prevention Act of 2012.