Three South Koreans, who duped their compatriots of about 6-billion Korean won in a lending scam, were arrested in separate operations by police Anti-Transnational Crime unit at their safe houses in Benguet and Makati City last week.
The arrested Koreans were presented by Philippine National Police Chief Ronald dela Rosa, who identified the suspects as Yong Ho Jeon, 32 and husband-and-wife Yam Sum and Yang Muyung Ock Yeo.
Jeon was arrested at his temporary residence at Room 2304, Milano Residences in Century City, Makati City last March 25, while the Korean couple was nabbed at Kilometer 4, La Trinidad, Benguet last March 29.
The Koreans were arrested by virtue of an Interpol Red Notice (a warrant of arrest issued on July 22, 2016 by the Jeonju District Court of South Korea) for fraud with a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment.
Korean authorities said Jeon is a member of a criminal group of South Koreans whose modus operandi is to establish a call center and victimize those who need low-interest loans.
During the course of the transactions “the suspects collects the victim’s account information through Short Messaging System (SMS), saying that a virtual transaction records for loan application is being made, and then ask for their check credit card.”
Investigation showed that a total of 751 check credit cards were received from some 538 victims, while 487 personal information data base of the victims were generated by the said call center, according to PNP spokesman Sr. Supt Dionardo Carlos.
After collecting vital personal information from the victims, the perpetrators will then use the generated database and would pretend to be staff of a Korean financial institution and collect or receive money as a requirement for loan processing from their unsuspecting victims, Carlos said.
So far, more than 5.6-billion Korean won were swindled by the suspects from June 10, 2015 to July 8, 2016.
Dela Rosa, meanwhile, said that Koreans perpetrating illegal activities in their homeland, is using the Philippines as a safe haven.
“They escape from their crimes committed in Korean so they are hiding here in the Philippines.”
“Jeon and his group are believed to have joined with other Korean groups in the country which are engaged in extortion, kidnapping, contract killing, protection racket and other criminal activities,” Dela Rosa said.
After the arrest of Jeon, the police collared the Korean couple in Benguet. The couple are reportedly facing warrant of arrest for three counts of fraud in South Korea.
The couple was arrested by virtue of a Mission Order from the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation for violations of Immigration Law, rules and regulations.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group is coordinating with the BID, Department of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of South Korea for additional information and records relating to the arrested South Koreans as part of its investigation.