NAGA CITY—The National Bureau of Investigation has estimated that at least P1 billion was lost to financial scams in Camarines Sur involving hundreds of investors duped into handing over cash to at least eight spurious investment companies.
Special Investigator Rex Solano, the NBI officer assigned to investigate complaints of 153 victims, warned of the proliferation of financial scams as the number of victims continues to increase.
“Beware of promises of scammers of high yielding investments from 6-10 percent a month, which are too good to be true,” Solano said.
He cited One Dream Global Marketing Inc. that operated sometime in July and stopped paying up its investors in September, with 43 of its victims turning to the NBI for help.
So far, he said, the NBI has identified eight spurious investment entities, including One Dream, based on complaints filed by duped investors.
The others firms are Save 4 Earn, owned by Nancy Cajot with 16 complainants; El Rabab of Angelito Ramos with 13 complainants; Trusty Foundation of Rudy Valenzuela with 55 complainants;
5-D of Arla Baloloy with three complainants; Antonette Nicole Sicam with six complainants; Nestor Avenido with five complainants and Joel Agdabo with nine complainants.
Missing
Solano said in One Dream alone, at least P200 million was lost to officers of the firm headed by its director named Arnel R. Gacer, who is missing.
Investors also lost at least P100 million in each of the seven other bogus investment entities. The whereabouts of all the suspects are unknown.
Solano said the NBI has already filed a syndicated estafa case at the Camarines Sur Provincial Prosecution Office against Gacer and 11 persons allegedly involved in the One Dream scam.
Named by NBI as Gacer’s conspirators were Jobelle V. De Guzman, Ariel R. Gacer, Richard Ramos, Jay-Ar V. De Guzman, Mary Ann Dela Cruz, Richard Jamer, Cristy Oliva, Rachel Jamer, Verna Mendoza, Arnel Evangelista and Sesyl A.
Peña.
The 12 suspects are accused of using the so-called “fastrix system” to prey on their victims. The system supposedly allocates one slot per investor that would result in double the money in less than a week.
In a report, the NBI said the scam promised to pay P40,300 for an investment of P27,528 after four days.
The victims also get pendants, bracelets, health and beauty products as token gifts for their investments.
In addition, the victims were lured with the promise that they could get either a car, a house and lot, appliances or gadgets if their investments reach
P4 million.
Solano said One Dream and other financial investment entities were registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission as corporations but were not registered as financial or investment institutions, making their operations illegal.
Esther B. Maralit, 70, a complainant against One Dream, narrated that she was made to believe by Gacer, during the launching of his company at a hotel here on June 27, 2015, that the money she entrusted him was to be invested in companies like Procter and Gamble and Puregold.
“Furthermore, complainant (Maralit) was told by Sesyl Peña not to worry about her investment and assured her that her money was not sent to Manila,” said the NBI.
“Mrs. Peña gave her assurance that her money was in Naga City and that only the interest was deposited in the bank account of Arnel Gacer,” the NBI said. “That was why complainant was convinced that her money would be returned to her on her pay out day,” the NBI added.
Statements from the 43 complainants, including that of Maralit, formed part of the complaint for syndicated estafa filed at the provincial prosecutor’s office by the NBI against One Dream’s 12 officials.
Solano said he was baffled why these scams continued to proliferate even if people seemed to be aware that the promised rate of return of investment was incredible.