MMDA chair taps NBI to probe scam using NCAP

MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chair Romando “Don” Artes on Wednesday arrived at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to seek help investigating a scam or modus operandi that uses their No Contact Apprehension Policy (NCAP).

In an interview, Artes said he personally went to the office of NBI Director Melvin Matibag after receiving over 180 complaints regarding the supposed scam since last week.

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“Many people are receiving texts allegedly from us stating there is a fine or penalty. It reportedly sends a link. When you click on the link, you will be taken to a site that is almost the same as ours. The only difference is the URL, but who is looking at it?” Artes said.

“We alone have 180 plus almost 200 people who have paid the penalty without actually having a fine. When we asked why they paid, what came out was that they received the text. So we are also being affected because we are returning the payments one-by-one to the 180-plus victims,” he pointed out.

Artes clarified that the MMDA is not sending any link on its text notifications for NCAP violators, adding that they also do not impose a penalty for late payment.

“Binabalaan ko po ang publiko, kapag yung text pong na-receive ninyo ay may link at may sinasabing penalty, scam po yan,” he said.

(I am warning the public, if the text you receive has a link and says there’s a penalty, it’s a scam.)

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According to the MMDA chairperson, the usual charge that the scammers demand for the supposed NCAP violation is P1,000.

Artes also noted that the modus operandi could likewise involve phishing scams.

“When you visit the site, you will be taken to a page, asked to input your name, NBI file number, plate number, in which case, they will get the data. Then when you pay, more likely if you use Gcash or e-wallet, they will get your information. Maybe later you will beg for your money that will eventually be stored in your e-wallet,” he explained.

Artes said he also tapped the Department of Information and Communications Technology to block the sites and compiled pieces of evidence before going to the NBI to request an investigation.

For his part, Matibag said that the bureau’s Cybercrime Division will investigate the matter, saying that the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) has also already acted on the site supposedly being used by the scammers.

“We’ll catch them; they use technology that allows them to text blast,” Matibag said.

“The site has already been taken action on by our CICC, so that site is a bit red-flagged. But they will definitely build a new site, and we will catch it. Although it has been preserved, we will also look at it as a parallel site being used here so that we can catch it,” he added.

The NBI director said the bureau will also coordinate with other agencies in probing the matter. /das