Police warn bizmen vs fake credit cards

BACOLOD City Police Office (BCPO) Director Ricardo De la Paz warned Monday business establishments in the city against a syndicate using fake credit cards.

De la Paz said employees of business establishments in the city should be careful in dealing with persons using credit cards to avoid being victimized by the syndicate.

He issued the statement after operatives of Police Station 1 nabbed a Russian national last Saturday for using fake credit cards in different malls in Bacolod.

Oqil Oqilov, 24, a Russian national temporarily staying in Bacolod, was arrested around 4 p.m. at Po's Digital, Araneta Street, Bacolod.

Lina Aguero, manager of Po's Digital at Araneta Street, told police that last Thursday, the suspect made a transaction in their store, buying two units of Samsung Galaxy worth P29,990 each using BDO credit card.

Aguero said that Banco de Oro (BDO) declared the transaction dubious and that the card was either fake or fictitious.

She added that around 3 p.m. Saturday, the suspect made another transaction in their store, this time using a Metrobank credit card to buy another unit of Samsung Galaxy.

The Metrobank credit card was also found to be fake.

Aguero immediately called the police to arrest the suspect.

Police, in turn, recovered from Oqilov five Citi Visa Cards, one fake driver's license and some assorted IDs believed to be fabricated.

De la Paz said they are now investigating if the Russian national is a member of a syndicated group operating nationwide.

He said after the apprehension of the suspect, two more complainants surfaced and positively identified Oqilov at Station 1 as having victimized their stores.

"There might be other business establishments which were victimized by the suspect," De la Paz said.

He said the suspect also admitted of using fake credit cards.

"There's an intent, deceit and fraud," said De la Paz.

Oqilov said the fake credit cards were only sold to him by his two Filipino friends who are residents of Antipolo, Rizal. He said he went to Bacolod to visit his girlfriend in Barangay Mandalagan.

The city director said the police will coordinate with the Bureau of Immigration to determine if the suspect is an undesirable foreigner or he has derogatory records.

He said they will also coordinate with the National Bureau of Investigation to check if has pending cases or pending arrest warrants.

De la Paz said they will also conduct a background check against the two companions of the suspect to determine if they are members of syndicated group operating nationwide.

The city director said what happened also serves as a lesson to credit card companies.

"Possibly, there are lapses and they should improve the safety measures to avoid such incidents," said the BCPO chief.

The suspect is presently detained at the lockup cell of Station 1 for violation of Republic Act 8484, or the Act Regulating the Issuance and Use of Access Devices, Prohibiting Fraudulent Acts. (MAP)