CANDON CITY, Ilocos Sur — A businesswoman was scammed of P265,000 in cash by a suspect who claimed to be a "District Prosecutor."

Victim Natasha Abaya of Barangay San Isidro, Candon City, Ilocos Sur, filed a complaint with the Candon City police on Friday.

Abaya said that at about 12:55 p.m. on Thursday, she received a phone call from an unknown person with the contact number 09087793623.

The female caller introduced herself as District Prosecutor Angeline Delos Santos Ordonia and said she was looking for a relative of Elvis Imperial (Abaya's cousin) who was facing criminal charges for violating RA 9165.

The caller offered to help dismiss the case. During their conversation, the caller allegedly gave Abaya three options to settle the case, including paying P189,000 to have the charges dropped.

At around 1:32 p.m., Abaya went to a store in Barangay San Jose, Candon City, and sent P95,000 to account number 09622372583 through "pay and go."

After Abaya sent the money, the caller told her that "if you fail to complete the amount, we will file the case against him, even if we get a million pesos, we will not be able to release him."

To complete the amount of P190,000, at around 2:24 p.m., Abaya sent another P95,000 to account number 09621662553 through "pay and go."

The caller then told Abaya that her cousin was facing two cases, Section 5 and Section 15. She told Abaya to send another P75,000 so that there would be no more cases against her cousin and that he would be immediately released.

At around 3:58 p.m., Abaya sent another P25,000 to account number 09563886041 through GCash. Police gathered that at around 4:13 p.m., she sent another P50,000. The total amount sent was P265,000. After sending the full amount, the caller stopped answering Abaya's calls after the last payment.