A fraudulent online meat vendor is now facing swindling and estafa charges for allegedly using a pseudonym and absconding with the P12,173 payment for goods that were never delivered. The suspect was apprehended by police operatives with the assistance of #GCash a leading financial application.
The operation was spearheaded by the Quezon City District Anti-Cybercrime Team (QCDACT) of the Philippine National Police, which apprehended the suspect, identified as Romelyn Sibut Lobaton. As per the QCDACT report, Lobaton, under the social media alias ‘Maria Cortiz’, sold 27 kilos of beef and 15 kilos of chicken to the victim. Lobaton allegedly convinced the victim that the order was ready for dispatch by sending a customary dispatch photo, prompting the victim to proceed with the bank transfer payment. However, when the victim sought an update on the delivery hours later, she discovered that she had been blocked.
“We want to remind our users to always be vigilant when conducting online transactions. We assure everyone that we are tirelessly pursuing these culprits, in cooperation with law enforcement agencies. Let’s help each other. We urge our users to report any suspicious activities to the PNP hotline or the GCash Help Center,” stated Gilda Maquilan, GCash’s Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications.
GCash persistently advises its users to exercise extra caution when transacting on the platform, never disclosing their MPIN or OTP, and avoiding clicking on links that direct to unfamiliar external websites or senders. For assistance and help, users can reach out to the PNP-ACG via their hotlines at (02) 8414-1560 or 0998-598-8116, or through email at acg@pnp.gov.ph.
To report scams and fraudulent activities, users can visit the official GCash Help Center at help.gcash.com or message Gigi on the website and type “I want to report a scam.” GCash will never send private messages asking for personal information, especially the MPIN and One-Time Pin (OTP). Customers can also contact the official GCash hotline at 2882 for queries and other concerns.
FAQs
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Who is the suspect in the case? The suspect in the case is Romelyn Sibut Lobaton, who allegedly used a pseudonym to sell undelivered goods.
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What charges is the suspect facing? The suspect is facing charges of swindling and estafa.
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How was the suspect apprehended? The suspect was apprehended by the Quezon City District Anti-Cybercrime Team (QCDACT) of the Philippine National Police with the assistance of GCash.
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What is GCash’s advice to its users? GCash advises its users to exercise extra caution when transacting on the platform, never revealing their MPIN or OTP, and refraining from clicking on links that lead to unfamiliar external websites or senders.
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How can users report scams and fraudulent activities? Users can report scams and fraudulent activities by visiting the official GCash Help Center at help.gcash.com or messaging Gigi on the website and typing “I want to report a scam.”