Eight Chinese foragers arrested in Paranak City

The National Bureau of Investigation's National Capital Region Division (NBI-NCR), under the guidance of retired Judge Jaime Santiago, arrested eight Chinese nationals in Parañaque City suspected of engaging in online phishing scams.

The case originated from an intelligence report indicating that a group of foreigners was involved in investment fraud, cryptocurrency scams, dating scams, and identity theft through social engineering.

Investigators, along with informants, surveilled the target area and confirmed the presence of illegal activities. On January 14, 2024, the Parañaque City Regional Trial Court issued a Warrant for the Search, Seizure, and Examination of Computer Data (WSSECD) against Huang Xiaobin and others.

On January 17, capital region operatives, together with the Digital Forensics Laboratory (DFL) personnel, executed the search warrant. Multiple laptops and desktops were seized during the operation. On-site inspections revealed phishing scam templates used to obtain sensitive information from others, as well as transaction records of cryptocurrency scams.

The law enforcement authorities have filed a lawsuit with the Parañaque City Prosecutor's Office, accusing Huang Xiaobin (fugitive), Xiao Li, Chuan Zigao, Li Mingru, Liu Wenshu, Qiu Shunli, Pan Caili, Liu Changfu, and Zhang Zhenhong of violating Section 4(b)(1) of the "Cybercrime Prevention Act" for computer-related forgery and Republic Act No. 12010, the "Anti-Financial Account Fraud Act."

Director Santiago praised the successful operation of the Capital Region Division and assured the public that the National Bureau of Investigation would continue to intensify efforts to combat illegal scam activities.