Eighteen members of a syndicate duping teachers into venturing into car loans were arrested by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission recently in Northern Luzon.

Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Ret. P/Gen. Gilbert Cruz pointed out that online scamming had gone through the lower level in duping middle-class people.

Appearing at the "Kapihan sa Manila Bay" forum in Malate, Cruz made a warning to those who will fall prey to the modus of these scammers who entice their victims into putting up huge cash of money in exchange for big interest that could finance a brand new vehicle to be paid by investing into their modus scheme.

Cruz said his office had received numerous complaints from teachers who were convinced by the syndicate to put up investments where their money will earn such interest that would finance the monthly payment for car loans.

He said that after getting the huge cash money, the victim will receive their first monthly cash interest but on the next month a brand-new car will be delivered and shown to them as a show item for which the victim will be made to believe that the car could be theirs. In a few months, however, the vehicle will be sold to another buyer or "car loan pasalo."

The sad part of the transaction is when the victim could not pay their monthly obligation to the syndicate for which they would be subjected to threats via messages on their mobile phones.

Acting on the complaint of teachers, Cruz said that through their relentless efforts, they made a breakthrough arrest of 18 people who were charged in different courts like in Bulacan, Quezon City based on where the vehicle was released.

Cruz explained that through follow-up operation, they succeeded in arresting 2 Chinese nationals as its leaders and 16 local Filipinos who worked as "keyboard soldiers" sending messages to the victims.

Cruz said that the syndicate is housed at a well-known building in Makati.