159 foreigners rescued in parcel scam hub raid

2 Malaysians, 1 Chinese nabbed

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities rescued yesterday 159 foreign nationals and arrested three alleged operators of an international parcel scam hub in Pasay where fake police uniforms, handcuffs and a staged police station were used to deceive victims overseas.

The police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) raided the facility on the 15th floor of a building along Cuneta Avenue, rescuing Chinese, Indonesian, Malaysian and Vietnamese nationals who were allegedly working as scammers or call agents.

Two Malaysians and a Chinese national tagged as the scam hub’s alleged masterminds were arrested.

Police also recovered uniforms bearing the insignia of Vietnamese and Indonesian police, including police caps and other equipment used to make the scam appear legitimate during video calls with victims.

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla and Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. inspected the facility following the operation.

According to the CIDG, the scam hub was not a Philippine offshore gaming operator or POGO, but a parcel fraud scheme targeting nationals from Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Scammers reportedly used databases containing information on people expecting packages. They would first contact a target and claim that a parcel was on its way.

A second caller, posing as a police officer, would tell the recipient that the package contained suspected illegal drugs or contraband.

Once the victim became alarmed, another scammer posing as a senior police officer would step in, advise the victim not to trust the first caller and warn that the victim’s bank accounts could be frozen.

The victim would be persuaded to transfer money to a designated bank account supposedly to protect the funds.

The operation used staged police encounters to convince victims that the threats were real. 

Investigators found rooms designed for video calls, including one made to resemble a police station, complete with uniforms, handcuffs and other props.

Scammers also allegedly staged the arrest of a courier supposedly caught transporting illegal drugs.

CIDG-National Capital Region chief Col. John Guiagui said the scam hub had been operating for about three months.  Some of those arrested may have previously worked in call centers or POGO hubs, he said.

Prior to the raid, three Indonesians escaped from the facility and sought assistance from their embassy.

The three arrested suspects will face complaints for human trafficking and serious illegal detention, as some of the rescued foreigners allegedly suffered physical abuse to force them to participate in the scams.

The rescued foreigners will be referred to the Bureau of Immigration for processing in coordination with their respective embassies.