The City Government of Davao, through the Anti Scam Unit, continued to participate in barangay caravans, ensuring that barangays know about the prevalent modus operandi of scammers.
“Naga-uban mi sa barangayan, naga-cater mi og walk-in complaints and nagahatag og important public information sa modus operandi sa mga scammers (We join barangay caravans, and we cater to walk-in complaints and we also give important public information on the modus operandi of scammers),” said Anti Scam Unit Head Jacy Jay Francia, in a media forum on Thursday.
Francia said that of the scams– online buying and selling, bogus organizers, raw lots, and fake travel and tours are most notable.
“Daghan ang complaints on fake travel and tours. Daghan ang complaints niabot sa bogus and non-existing travel and tours and some complaints on event organizers, [which arrangements are made] through online transactions (Many are complaining about fake travel and tours. These complaints involve bogus and non-existing travel and tours and some complaints involved event organizers, which are dealt with by clients online),” he said.
He underscored the selling of raw lots is still among the prevailing type of complaints.
“Kaning raw lots, dili gyud mawala. Naay mga unauthorized na realtors. So pahibalo lang nato sa publiko nga dapat i-verify nato ang Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) kung licensed ba ang dealer ug kadtong developer (Raw lots are among the most reported, at it was sold by unauthorized realtors. So we announce to the public that they should verify at the DHSUD if they are licensed dealers or developers),” he added.
Illegal recruitment also prevailed as among those complained about, Francia said.
Online market transactions are also among the scams reported.
“Naay mga transaction sa online market bitaw tapos pagkatapos ikaw nagbaligya ka sa online tapos naay mutransact sa imo mupalit. You are instructed to deliver. Ikaw legitimate ka nga seller gi-deliver nimo didto sa tindahan naghulat ka sa buyer pero ang bayad ni buyer gikuha na atong middleman. (There are transactions in the online market, transactions, wherein sellers are instructed to deliver items at a specific area. Upon delivery, the seller learns that the payment of the buyer has already been collected by middlemen),” he said.
He also said that some complainants are buyers.
“Daghan online store, labi didto sa part sa Luzon, gahapon naay nagparecord, Cash on Delivery (COD) iyang order, the next day naay nitawag sa iyaha nga bayaran nimo ang item para ipagawas sa bodega. I suspect ang perpetrator ang store nga gipalitan and nagpanggap na taga LBC gyud so nabayaran gyud (There are many online stores, especially from a part of Luzon, one was a client who asked us to record the case. The client ordered online through COD and the day after someone called the client requiring payment in order for the item to be released from the warehouse. I suspect the perpetrator is the store from which the client bought the item, pretending they are from the courier company, so it was paid by the buyer),” he said.
Francia said that the Anti-Scam unit regularly joins the barangay caravans to inform the public about these types of scams.
Francia said that so far they have not received reports on organized scams and other money related scams they have receive involved trading and forex, and some money investment scams which are personal in nature.
For information on the schedule of the Anti Scam Unit, please check its official page https://www.facebook.com/share/17K5kUZiQA/.
Aside from helpig victims avoid scams, the office is also ready to receive reports on scam and give initial legal consultation on how to run after scammers, and to also give tips on how to detect red-flags in common modus operandi.
Dabawenyos may also call Anti-Scam Unit Hotline: (082) 225-6044. Their office is located at Door 7, Ramon Magsaysay Park Complex, Davao City. CIO