Latest news with #PresidentialAnti-OrganizedCrimeCommission
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
Public warned vs ‘task scams' via messaging apps
Authorities cautioned the public from taking part in 'task scams' sent via messaging apps where victims are given assignments in exchange for cash before being convinced to "invest" their money in return for quick profits. In her report on Thursday's 24 Oras, Darlene Cay said victim 'Bea' lost P9,800 in an 'investment', most of which is money she just borrowed. Bea said she was encouraged to send money via a digital link after she initially saw it quickly gain profits. However, after she sent a larger sum, the money was never returned and the person she was transacting blocked her. Pearl, another victim, said she lost P38,000 through the same scheme. She said the scammers sound very professional and convincing. Pearl said she participated because she was looking for a way to earn extra money. Despite her pleas, the scammer ignored her messages and later blocked her. 'Work from anywhere' Via unsolicited messages through messaging apps, people introducing themselves as members of a digital marketing agency offer "work from anywhere" opportunities. Victims are enticed by earning as much as P9,000 daily just by clicking 'likes' of products in different shopping apps. According to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), task scams lure victims with the promise of earning easy money. 'Pasasakayin ka e. Kunwari bibigyan ka ng mga gagawin mo para kumita ka ang mabigat kasi dito, grupo grupo rin yan,' said Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz, PAOCC Executive Director. It is possible syndicates use easy catchers or devices that have the capability to access telephone numbers, messages and data from the smartphones of potential victims. Cruz said the scammers would get these cellphone numbers and would initiate a text blast. If a person's phone receives an ad, he or she could then be convinced by scammers to join by completing their assigned tasks. The phone numbers could also have been sourced from phones whose users clicked on phishing websites according to the Cybercrime Investigation Coordinating Center. CICC Deputy Executive Director Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso said possible victims could have provided their names, numbers and email addresses believing they were taking part in a promotional event or a discount but these details could be sold to scammers. PAOCC said it is continuing to investigate the said scam which it believes is being operated by Filipinos. Be suspicious Authorities advised jobseekers that no legitimate employer would ask money in exchange for employment and that they would not contact you via messaging apps if you did not apply in the first place. 'Employers do not get in touch with individuals they pass through channels or platforms. Nobody calls from a company to offer a job to somebody. People should be suspicious by this system alone,' said Serge Ortiz-Luis, President of the Employers Confederation of the Philippines. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
12-06-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
PAOCC suspends ops due to disease outbreak in overcrowded POGO detention facility
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) on Thursday expressed concern over the spread of contagious diseases among the Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) workers in its custody, forcing the agency to suspend its operations against their illegal activities. PAOCC Executive Director Gilbert Cruz said at least 700 former POGO employees remain at their temporary detention center in Pasay City. A recent medical examination revealed 66 tested positive for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis. ''Yang mga workers na po yan…'yung iba po diyan lalo na yung mga nahuli namin, pag pina-pacheck namin may mga sakit,' Cruz said in Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. (Some of the arrested POGO workers we checked are sick.) 'Itong huling pina-check namin, 66 ang nagpositive sa sakit na HIV, syphilis at hepatitis. Mga nakakahawa po yan,' he added. (In our latest testing, 66 tested positive for HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis.) During the last hearing of the House Quad Committee (QuadComm) on Monday, Cruz said more than 9,000 former POGO workers remain at large in the Philippines. 'Pakalat-kalat ang mga yan so hindi natin alam kung ano ang activities nila araw-araw. Baka imbis na ipagamot sila ay nagkakalat pa ng sakit,' said Cruz. (They are at large and we don't know their activities. They may be spreading diseases instead of seeking treatment.) 'Dapat talaga bigyan ito nang mabilis na action at kung kailangan ipa-deport agad, ipa-deport na kaysa makahawa sa mga kababayan natin,' he added. (There should be immediate action against this and if they need to be deported, we should deport them so they would not infect our own citizens.) Meanwhile, Cruz said PAOCC was forced to temporarily suspended its operations due to overcrowding in their detention facility. 'For almost two months, hindi na kami nag ooperate kasi unang-una, ang daming may sakit. Nagkaroon ng mini pandemic sa aming facility na nagkaroon ng lung infection dun,' he said. (We did not operate for two months because a lot of them are sick. There was a mini pandemic of lung infections in the facility.) 'We needed to stop yung pagda dagdag ng tao at gamutin muna namin itong may mga sakit. So far medyo nakaka-recover na yung iba. Baka later, bumalik na kami sa dating operations namin,' he added. (We needed to stop adding people and first focus on treating those who are ill. Some have recovered. Maybe later, we can resume our normal operations.) —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
05-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
89 foreigners llinked to POGO, scam hubs deported
At least 89 foreigners who are allegedly involved in a scam hub in the Philippines have been deported, according to the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC). According to Saleema Refran's Thursday report on '24 Oras,' 77 Vietnamese and 12 South Koreans were deported as part of PAOCC's efforts to decogest its detention facility in Pasay City, as some are getting sick and in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s order to hasten the deportation of arrested foreigners. 'Yung temporary detention center natin dito sa Pasay kasi almost 800 pa rin po yung nakakulong natin diyan. And kailangan bawasan na natin. So unti-unti, last month nakapag-deport na rin po kami ng 100 plus and now magde-deport po tayo ng 120 plus,' PAOCC executive director Gilbert Cruz said. (We have almost 800 foreigners in our detention center in Pasay, and we need to decrease the population. So last month, we deported over 100 foreigners, and we will deport 120 more foreigners.) Some foreigners will also be deported this month, depending on the Bureau of Immigration's release of documents and clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation. Cruz also attended the dialogue between the Philippines and the Criminal Police Department of Vietnam to strengthen the cooperation of the two countries in the fight against illegal offshore gaming and related crimes. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- GMA Network
Cops to learn Korean language to address crimes vs foreigners — PAOCC
Cops will learn Korean language to accommodate foreigners reporting crimes to police assistance desks, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said Thursday. PAOCC spokesperson Atty. Ernesto Tendero confirmed this development to GMA News Online in a message. This is among the recommendations of PAOCC during a meeting with the Korean community on May 16. 'During our first meeting with the Korean consulate and the community, yun po yung isang sinuggest natin at umayon po sila,' PAOCC executive director Undersecretary Gilbert Cruz said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview on Tuesday. (During our first meeting with the Korean consulate and the community, we suggested that and they agreed.) 'Actually sabi nga nila kapag nabuo nila yung tourist protection desks na iyan, we are willing to send yung mga pulis na tatao dyan para matuto sila noong basic Korean language,' he added. (Actually they said when those tourist protection desks are set up, they are willing to send the police officers so they can learn the basic Korean language.) The meeting came following the killing of a Korean national along Friendship Highway in Korea Town, Angeles City in April. Some persons of interest (POIs) have been identified in the fatal shooting, according to the city police. Angeles City Police head Police Colonel Joselito Villarosa Jr. said the POIs were identified through a review of CCTV footage and other evidence. To help in the probe, the Korean Association Community of Angeles City has offered a P200,000 reward for any information that will lead to the identification and arrest of the perpetrator. The public are encouraged to immediately report any leads to the Angeles City Police. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Bloomberg
21-02-2025
- Bloomberg
Philippines Raids Chinese-Run Scam Center, Stepping Up Crackdown
Philippine authorities arrested more than 400 individuals during a raid of what they said was a Chinese-run offshore gaming operator in Manila, as the Southeast Asian nation intensifies its crackdown on scam centers. Authorities nabbed 307 Filipinos, 137 Chinese, three Vietnamese, two Thais, two Malaysians, an Indonesian and a Taiwanese, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission said in a statement late on Thursday.
