Online fraud is known to be a big and serious problem in the Philippines. What most people do not realize is that online scams are happening massively right before their eyes. For years, private investigators in Manila and Cebu have been alerting the public about the growth of organized crime in the country. Romance fraud, investment scams and other types of online crime are increasingly part of a whole mafia type operation rather than just cases of isolated criminals.

A large scale online fraud operation was dismantled recently by the Philippines police. The arrest of almost five hundred people who worked at a call center was all over the news due to the magnitude of the operation.  Even if it seems unreal, there were in fact almost five hundred people who sat at their desk everyday and tried to lure victims from all over the world into investing in shares of a fake company.  The scheme was elaborate.  According to the police, part of the scam also involved getting credit card information and access to bank account details of the victims.

What is really shocking in this case is that the whole operation was being carried before the eyes of the authorities, in plain view. These people were not working out of a dark hidden bunker. They worked in a call center located in a free-trade zone under the broad light of the day, and the call center had already been operating for two and a half years. The fact that crime can be carried out shamelessly in such a large scale is disturbing, especially when considering that the losses of this trading scam are in the millions of dollars and that it affected hundreds of people around the world.

The worst part is that this is probably not the only call center out there employing Filipinos to conduct internet fraud. The Philippines has become one of the most attractive places for criminals to set up their operations because there is a lot of “talent” and resources to work with.

Unfortunately, the Philippines is known for all of its fraud schemes, including very elaborate dating fraud and even faking someone’s death. So when criminals need to look for people who are willing to work deceiving others, the Philippines is the perfect destination.

But online fraud in the Philippines has now reached new levels, and it is important to know it and to be cautious. There are increased chances of being trapped by organized crime when communicating through the internet with someone in the Philippines, even though victims might think they are just making a new friend. That is why being cautious is more important than ever.

As a preventive measure, hire a professional background check investigation in the Philippines to verify that the people you are dealing with are real. Regardless of the nature of the matter, whether it is romantic or business, gathering evidence is the key to stay safe. Contact us if you are currently communicating with someone in the Philippines, we will help you verify!

C. Wright
© 2018 Philippine PI

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