Nine South Korean nationals allegedly operating an online loan fraud scheme out of a condominium in Parañaque City were arrested in a joint operation by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The raid, conducted from the evening of 25 June until early the following morning, was initially carried out to arrest two foreign fugitives. However, authorities discovered nine other individuals, aged 29 to 31, allegedly running online scam platforms during the operation.
“According to a representative from the Korean government, the setup bore the hallmarks of an international online loan fraud operation targeting victims abroad,” the BI said in a statement.
The suspects were found in front of computer stations equipped with pre-written scripts believed to be used for illegal lending activities.
The BI added that the foreign nationals had been operating the scam for several months, reportedly starting around the same time the Philippine government imposed stricter regulations on POGOs (Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators).
The suspects are currently detained at the NBI’s Organized and Transnational Crime Division and will be turned over to the BI Warden Facility for further processing.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said the bureau is intensifying efforts, in coordination with local and international law enforcement, to prevent the Philippines from being used as a hub for cybercrime.