An alleged member of a syndicate that utilizes vishing and phone spoofing techniques to prey on local government officials has recently been apprehended in Lingayen, Pangasinan. The suspect, identified as Larry Abalos, allegedly assumes the voice of Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. to deceive unsuspecting individuals into giving away their money.
The real Secretary Abalos presented the suspect to the public on Tuesday, shedding light on the deceptive practices employed by the syndicate. Vishing, a fraudulent practice, involves making phone calls or leaving voice messages that appear to be from well-known personalities or reputable companies. The aim is to manipulate individuals into disclosing personal information, such as bank details and credit card numbers. On the other hand, phone spoofing or caller ID spoofing occurs when scammers intentionally falsify the information sent to your caller ID, concealing their true identity.
“This individual was able to victimize and deceive many people I personally know through vishing and spoofing, which is a violation of the SIM Registration Act,” Abalos expressed during a press briefing in Camp Crame. The suspect, posing as the chief of staff of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary, targeted several local government officials, including Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abdulraof Macacua, Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad Ali Matabalao, Masinloc, Zambales Mayor Arsenia Lim, and President Roxas, Capiz Mayor Receliste Escolin. Northern Samar Gov. Edwin Ongchuan was the most recent victim, according to Abalos.
The modus operandi of the suspect’s group involved calling a specific local government official and impersonating the voice of the DILG chief. Abalos explained, “He would inform the victim that he is sending sacks of rice, but the delivery truck broke down, and perhaps the victim could help. He would then say that his staff will call to provide the details of where the money should be sent.”
Upon receiving reports from local government officials regarding these suspicious transactions, Abalos promptly assembled a team, led by the Office of Internal Security and the Special Police Assistant to the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (SILG), to track down the culprits responsible for these crimes. Unfortunately, one official had already given money to the suspect. Abalos added, “The team was subsequently able to uncover a syndicate behind this scam,” revealing that the syndicate managed to collect P90,000 from one victim and P50,000 from another.
On Monday, charges were filed against the suspect, including Identity Theft under the Anti-Cybercrime Law for impersonating the voice of Abalos to commit a crime, spoofing under the SIM Registration Act of 2022, and estafa.
This incident serves as a reminder to remain vigilant against fraudulent activities and to exercise caution when receiving unexpected calls, especially those requesting personal or financial information. It is crucial to verify the authenticity of the caller and report any suspicious incidents to the appropriate authorities.
By staying informed about the latest scams and employing preventive measures, we can collectively protect ourselves and our communities from falling victim to such deceptive schemes.
Source: The Manila Times
