Three workers from the raided POGO hub at Century Peak Tower in Manila testified about a scam targeting foreigners, involving gaining their trust and persuading them into a fake investment.
During an interview on Dos Por Dos on Monday, employees from Vertex with their aliases, revealed that they used fake profiles on dating sites to scam foreigners. According to them, these profiles featured images of models who were also employees of the hub.
Anne, one of the workers, explained that their goal was to find a "big fish" and make them fall in love. Once they gained the victim's trust, they would encourage them to invest in cryptocurrency tied to the fake scheme, then cut off all contact.
"Binibuild trust po namin ‘yun hanggang sa magkaroon kami ng koneksyon, mainlove sa amin, tapos pag nakuha na po namin yung tiwala, pwede na po namin [ipasok] yung investment po."
Another worker, using the alias Nicole, who had been employed at Vertex for two months, stated that they victimized between one to five people daily, with the company earning up to millions of pesos in a single day.
Nicole shared that she felt guilty, especially upon seeing the emotional toll on victims who were left heartbroken and financially devastated.
"Nakakakonsensya. Kasi may nagsesend na po sa’min na mga client na tinututukan na nila yung sarili nila ng baril, kasi sinasangla na nila lahat ng gamit nila sa bahay, yung titulo ng bahay nila. Halos walang-wala na talaga sila kaya sila nag-iinvest para lumago yung kaunting pera nila," Nicole said in her testimony.
The witness clarified that there are no Filipino victims.
How did they end up working at the scam hub?
Nicole, Anne, and Jr stated that they were recruited by a friend who described it as a well-paying job. Initially, they were told they would work as Customer Service Representatives (CSR) or call center agents in a BPO company. However, they were soon introduced to illegal activities instead.
The workers shared that they underwent seven days of training, which included memorizing scripts for the model profiles. They were also instructed to use an application that connected them with foreigners, particularly in European countries.
How are employees paid for scamming?
The workers explained that they earn a base salary of Php 30,000-40,000 monthly, along with separate payments in the form of rewards, bonuses, and commissions.
"Pag nakapagpasok ng maraming client, nagrereward po sila ng Php 500. Pag malaki yung pera na napapasok, nagbibigay ng commission na Php 2,000," Nicole explained.
Punishments for workers
Nicole stated that workers face termination if they fail to meet their quotas. However, the penalties are reportedly harsher for Chinese workers, who allegedly experience physical abuse from their supervisors.
As reported by RH Eric Dasdas, an employee was rescued during the raid because they had been physically assaulted.
The three witnesses have pledged to cooperate with authorities by sharing the information they possess.
Additional scam hubs at Century Peak Tower
The scam hub is not confined to just one floor of Century Peak Tower; multiple floors are reportedly involved, including the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 15th, and 16th floors.
The 17th floor serves as a dormitory for Chinese workers employed at the hub, while the 18th floor is designated for administrative staff and a store catering to Chinese employees. The 35th floor and higher floors are used as office spaces.
According to the three witnesses, they were not present on the floor being raided, as they were on the 16th floor during the operation.
Raid at Century Peak Tower
On October 28, the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group raided Century Peak Tower based on a search warrant issued by a Manila court. During the raid, they uncovered the scam hub, along with gadgets and other items used for fraudulent activities.
Century Peak Tower condemned the raid, claiming it was illegal, caused substantial damage, severely impacted its operations, and restricted access for all tenants.
Meanwhile, the PNP defended the operation, asserting its legitimacy.
"This operation is a testament to the dedication of our PNP-ACG personnel, whose relentless pursuit of justice has exposed and disrupted a significant hub of criminal activity," stated PNP representative Marbil.
The PNP is aiming to shut down non-compliant or illicit POGOs in the country before the year ends.
