Office Used for Cyber Scams Found Abandoned in Cebu City
CEBU CITY – Authorities discovered an office allegedly used for cyber scams abandoned on Tuesday, May 20, as they enforced a closure order. The exact four word keyphrase “office used for cyber scams” applies to this location in Barangay Kasambagan, which has been identified as a hub for fraudulent activities.
Personnel from the Business Permit and Licensing Office led the enforcement action against BMJ Data Processing Services. This company was exposed in a viral video by a foreign hacker who reportedly accessed their system and revealed their operations.
According to reports, the hacker claimed the company deceived foreigners into investing money in a scheme that turned out to be a scam. This prompted multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas (PRO-7), Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Cebu City Field Unit, and the Regional Anti-Cyber Crime Unit-7, to carry out the closure.
Closure Order Enforced Due to Lack of Permits and Suspicious Activities
The company was found operating without a mayor’s permit or business permit, which led to the issuance of a show-cause order. Police Colonel Enrico Figueroa, CCPO chief, said the inspection was coordinated with building management, but no employees were present at the time of enforcement.
Figueroa added that authorities have already collected the names of all employees involved for further investigation. A woman identifying herself as the company supervisor explained that they only rented the office space and provided computers but were unaware of the company’s activities.
“They became suspicious because the activities were not normal. It was noisy inside and it did not appear like an office,” Figueroa said. He also mentioned that reports indicate the company stopped operations after the expose was published online.
Investigation and Legal Actions Moving Forward
The regional anti-cybercrime unit plans to secure a search warrant to examine the computers on-site. This will help determine if the office used for cyber scams was actively involved in fraud.
Police Brigadier General Redrico Maranan, PRO-7 chief, warned that illegal online activities will not be tolerated and assured the public that all involved employees will be tracked down. Maranan urged workers to voluntarily come forward and clear their names to avoid criminal charges.
“We will track down all employees. We already have the list. We will give them time to clear their names that’s why they have to go to CCPO to explain,” he said.
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