A 21-YEAR-OLD woman accused of scamming people through Facebook is now under the custody of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Northern Mindanao and is facing large scale estafa charges.
The suspect, Antonette Pacana Sestosa, surrendered to authorities last Friday, March 8, for fear of her safety after failing to pay about 300 people who invested on a scheme that promises large returns of their initial “investment.”
Initially, three complainants filed the case, the first person, invested about P408,000, another invested P15,000, and the third invested P6,000.
NBI-Northern Mindanao director lawyer Patricio Bernales said the NBI recommended the filing of large scale estafa or swindling in relation to violation of Republic Act 10175 or the Cybercrime Law against the suspect, which is a non-bailable offense.
Bernales said Sestoso and some cohorts, through the use of Facebook, opened a group chat with her Facebook friends, and enticed them with this message: “1K turns 1,700 in 10 days”.
“Ang iyang modus is mo-invest siya ug certain amount, then in a very short period of time lang, halos mo times two ang investment so ma-entice ka gyud (Her modus is inviting people to invest a certain amount, the in a very short period of time, the investment will double),” he said.
“For example, kung mo-invest ka ug P50,000, pag-abot sa 10 days mahimo siyang P90,000. It’s too good to be true (If you invest P50,000, in 10 days, it will become P90,000),” he added.
Bernales said that the suspect made it appear as a small-time investment scheme but very quick to spread. He also said that his agency are investigating Sestosa’s alleged cohorts.
The NBI said they started their operations late last year but was only getting attention February this year.
For her part, Sestosa said stands firm that her activity is an investment and vowed to pay the complainants within three to four months.
“Tinuod jud na sya pero dili lang ako ang involved ana nga gadawat sa kwarta (It’s true but it’s not only me who is involved in receiving the money),” she said.
“Nisurrender ko kay tinuod man jud ko moistorya, dili nako sila daganan, naa ko diri for safety (I surrendered because I am honest and to assure them that I will not run away from them, I am here for safety),” she added.
The NBI-Northern Mindanao urged the public to be alert over these investment scams proliferating in Facebook. Bernales also invited others who may have already invested to come forward and report these scrupulous activities online.
“Sa katawhan sa Cagayan de Oro ug silingan nga dapit, especially kadtong naa ra pirmi gatan-aw sa ilang gadgets, kung naay mag-offer sa inyo, kung tan-aw ninyo mo-ginansya mo ug dako sa gamay kaayo nga kapital, if its too good to be true, pagduha-duha,” he said.
(For the people of Cagayan de Oro and nearby areas, especially those who spend most of their time looking at their gadgets, if someone offers you bigger profit with a small capital, think twice).
“Ang bangko dili gani maka-offer ana (Even the bank does not offer this scheme),” Bernales added.