Many people have fallen victim to cyber thieves through phishing, lost their money in the bank or their credit card. That modus fools gullible victims with fake emails from a mock bank telling them to give their account number and password, or click a link or attachment. Once they follow the instruction, the hackers can intercept the same information and use them to steal the victim’s bank deposit or use the credit card balance.
British food stall operators Kristina Belkaite and Fabien Battu, who were victimized by a fake caller in June, were told to set up a new bank account by scanning a QR code emailed to them. Upon doing so, the scammers were able to access their existing account and steal £24,700 in deposits, Hindustan Times reported.
For some Filipino cyber thieves, however, they use a practical modus to do the same crime.
Last 2 August, a 23-year-old woman from Calamba, Laguna was asked by a man for help in transferring money through a mobile e-wallet application.
Edmon Catubigan, 43, introduced the woman to the supposed money receiver named Vergie, who was on the phone, and the latter asked how much was the transaction fees, GMA News reported.
As the woman explained how to use the app, Vergie apparently deceived the young lady into giving her e-wallet account number and one-time password. After a few minutes, her P48,021 was gone, according to GMA News.
The victim’s father managed to run after Catubigan who was arrested. The Laguna Police Provincial Office is still hunting for his accomplice.
If cyber thieves can simply talk their way into getting someone’s bank or e-wallet account details, there is another modus that easily dupes online sellers.
An online jewelry store reportedly sold P100,000 worth of products to a customer and had the order delivered by a rider after securing proof of payment via a deposit to the seller’s bank account sent through mobile phone. However, no deposit was credited to the seller’s bank account.
In the complaint of the victim to the police, it was discovered that the screenshot of the payment deposit sent by the buyer to the seller was fake, GMA News’ “24 Oras” reported.
The National Bureau of Investigation later launched an entrapment operation against two women suspects who were arrested at their house in Batangas City after receiving another “stolen” order of jewelry from a delivery rider that they allegedly paid using a screenshot of a fake payment deposit.