5 foreigners may face online theft raps

MANILA, Philippines—Charges were recommended by the National Bureau of Investigation last Friday against what an NBI report said were five Chinese and/or Taiwanese nationals allegedly involved in the online theft of credit card information.

In a June 14 letter to Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, NBI Director Nonnatus Caesar Rojas sought inquest proceedings against Andong Ye, Shizhong Zhou, Wei Sheng, Yantai Luo and Yangfeng Luo, all of 42-3 Forest Rd., Carmenville subdivision in Angeles City.

Rojas recommended that charges for violation of Republic Act No. 8484, the Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998, be filed against the five.

Based on intelligence reports and armed with a search warrant from a court, Rojas said an NBI intelligence team swooped down on the residence of a Mr. Wang in Angeles City to verify information about the place.

Mr. Wang was alleged to be “in collusion” with a Chinese syndicate engaged in fraudulent acts using access devices. But Mr. Wang was not at the house when the NBI team came.

“Intelligence sources revealed this foreign syndicate conducts fraudulent online transactions and steals credit card information through hacking and other malicious representation on the Internet via equipment like telephones, computers, routers, access devices, modems, two-way radios and scripted documents,” said Rojas in a three-page letter to the Department of Justice.

Confiscated from the residence were assorted credit cards, a skimming device, routers, a laptop, modem, printer, telephones and various documents.

“…(M)ere possession of counterfeit access devices, access device equipment or skimming devices without being in the business or employment which lawfully deals with the manufacture, issuance or distribution of such devices is punishable by law,” the NBI chief said.

The five foreigners were allegedly found “in the process of conducting their illegal activities” when the NBI team entered the residence.