Monday, Sep 28, 2015

Manila: Philippine customs officials on Sunday seized 571 components and devices used to commit card fraud at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

An unidentified Hong Kong resident attempted to smuggle the sophisticated electronic devices into the country through his checked-in baggage, the airport’s district collector Edgar Macabeo said.

The suspect had arrived in the Philippines from Hong Kong.

The devices were contained in three pieces of checked-in baggage and had been detected by acting examiner Rachelle Altiche and special agent Emmanuel Mondejar of NAIA Customs’ Arrival Operations Division.

“The 571 skimming devices are a sophisticated way of stealing debit or credit card information,” Macabeo said adding that information accessed using this particular apparatus include card PINs and other personal information.

Macabeo said the Chinese national is now under the custody of Customs police and is facing charges for violation of the RA 8484 “Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998,” as well as failure to declare baggage contents and unlawful importation.

Vanishing deposits

There had been a number of complaints over the years by banks and depositors in the Philippines over “vanishing” cash deposits.

The increasing number of complaints prompted the government and bankers’ groups to take action by forming the Joint Anti-Bank Robbery Action Committee (JABRAC), a law enforcement body under the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group.

A number of individuals — including foreign nationals — have been arrested for placing card skimming devices on automated teller machines (ATM) kiosks to steal passwords and get access to deposits of unsuspecting victims.

On May 15, 2014, two Bulgarians were arrested by Central Luzon police while installing ATM skimming devices on the personal identification number entry pads of a bank inside a mall in Pampanga province.

Authorities said such incidents prove that foreign felons are capable of breaking into bank accounts in the Philippines.

In some cases, the depositors would not know that their account had been compromised until they withdraw their money from the ATM.

Marcelo said aside from foreigners, local fraudsters had also been caught using skimmers.

By Gilbert ?P. Felongco ?Correspondent

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