The Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP ACG) and GCash, warns public about illegal gambling sites operating without license. These groups use various social media platforms, which entice individuals to join them in buying online tickets to get a chance for big stakes like winning cash prizes and even automobiles, by using GCash to pay upfront to get their slots.
GCash’s thrust is to orient and educate its users to exert due diligence to help build a financially inclusive, safe cashless online transactions by preventing them from any illegal form of modus by scammers, fraudsters and cybercriminals that these entities must have a license to operate issued by PAGCOR or the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corporation who is the regulating body for this.
GCash points out one of the incidents that involved a social media page “Tipsy D Garage”, according to PAGCOR, has no license to operate, thus is illegally doing its activities without proper approval. The Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) has arranged the necessary operation against them.
PNP ACG has acted in accordance to the complaint and has issued a warrant to search, seize, and examine computer data (WSSECD), that resulted to the arrest of six suspects and confiscated computers and mobile phones that were used in the operation.
The six suspects arrested and charged with the violation of Presidential Decree No. 1602 (illegal gambling) were identified as Mark Kevin Borbon Andrade, 35; Jeffrey Gatbonton Siron, 38; Cedric Oneal Obordo, 27; Adrian Gregorio Diaz, 29; Jerele Bautista Javier, 34; and Jedric Ambrocio Siron, 27.
“Let us continue to fight scammers, fraudsters, and cybercrime by being aware and properly informed about their mode of operations. This can make everyone a step ahead of these perpetrators,” said GCash vice president and head of corporate communications Gilda Maquilan.
In addition, GCash continues to urge its users to exercise extra caution when transacting on the platform, never to reveal their MPIN or OTP, and to refrain from clicking on links that lead to external websites or senders they are unfamiliar with. For help and assistance, users can contact the PNP-ACG via their hotlines at (02) 8414-1560 or 0998-598-8116, or via email at acg@pnp.gov.ph.
To report scams and fraudulent activities, users can visit the official GCash Help Center in the app or at help.gcash.com, message Gigi, and type “I want to report a scam.” GCash will never send private messages to ask for personal information, especially the MPIN and OTP. Customers can also reach out to the official GCash hotline at 2882 for queries and other concerns. For more information, visit www.gcash.com.ph.
For more information, visit https://www.gcash.com
