POGOs shift to love scams, other fraud schemes

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) is bracing for the continued proliferation of online scams with the rise of the socalled scam hubs, which are allegedly former Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO).

- RAINIER ALLAN RONDA

"We have this working theory in the CICC that during the time of the pandemic, when the POGOS saw a drop in their income, some of them turned themselves into scam hubs.

Because they already have the facilities for that, they already have the computers, they have the people for that," Rojun Hosillos, director of the CICC Cybercrime Investigation Office said.

In the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum tackling online scams this Christmas season, Hosillos also bared that the CICC learned that the scam hubs they were raiding or monitoring appeared to be well-equipped, fully manned, and boast of using the latest technology in cyber hacking and monitoring.

He added that they are already monitoring scam hubs that are being run by Filipinos and not only foreigners.