A rapper and his vlogger girlfriend were among 19 individuals arrested during a raid on a voice phishing operation in Imus, Cavite.
According to a report by Jun Veneracion on “24 Oras” Thursday, authorities carried out a three-month surveillance on a house in Imus town before launching the operation. The raid led to a chase through a nearby farm as several suspects attempted to flee.
The Investigation and Arrest
The Philippine National Police-Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) reported that the rapper had been involved in the voice phishing scheme for three months. Initially, he believed he was part of a legitimate business venture.
“They were planning to leave the group, but it was too late as we had already conducted our operation,” said PNP-ACG spokesperson Wallen Mae Arancillo.
The PNP-ACG suggested that the couple might have struggled to leave the group due to the substantial earnings involved. “They earn P5 million per week and are paid a percentage based on the number of individuals they manage to scam,” Arancillo explained.
Impact of the Scam
During the raid, authorities seized various items used in the scam, including credit card applications and scripted dialogues intended for deceiving victims.
Arancillo shared a tragic story from a victim who lost money intended for their child’s medical treatment due to the scam, resulting in the child’s death. “One of the victims told us that his child died after he lost the money supposed to be used for the treatment through the scam,” she said.
Legal Consequences
The suspects, including the rapper and vlogger, now face multiple charges, including violations of the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act. They are currently detained at the PNP-ACG headquarters.