Isabela college student nabbed for credit card scam

CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela—A 23-year-old computer science student was arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Friday (March 3) for staging an online credit card scam.

Christian Salvador, a graduating student of the Isabela State University, was traced by the NBI to a boarding house in San Fermin village and was taken to the NBI central office in Manila.

Salvador allegedly developed fake bank websites where he retrieved credit card information of bank clients. A bank discovered the anomaly when its clients complained that they were being charged for large purchases they never made.

Salvador admitted hacking through personal accounts of bank clients, which he sold to another hacker whom the NBI has not identified.

He also admitted buying items using the credit information he stole.

Fred, Salvador’s father, said he was saddened and ashamed after learning about his son’s arrest.

Fred is a baker while Salvador’s mother is employed as a domestic helper in Lebanon.

“He is intelligent but I am surprised he used it to do a bad thing,” Fred said.

Salvador would be charged on Monday (March 6) for violating the Access Device Regulation Act of 1988 (Republic Act No. 8484) and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (R.A. No. 10175).