(Pixabay)
TAAL, Batangas- Police are tracking down a person who introduced herself as a fiscal and was reported to have asked for P50,000 in exchange for the release of an inmate at the Taal Municipal Police Station on Sunday night, Aug. 16.
The police report identified the victim as Marivic, 49, a housewife and a resident of Brgy. Gahol, who reported to the police a scam involving an online banking transfer and sought assistance in identifying the suspect person.
The suspect introduced herself as Lourdes.
An investigation said that the Gahol village chief told the police that he received a text message from mobile phone no. 09454522281, and introduced herself as Fiscal Lourdes, who claimed that she would facilitate the immediate release of alias Gregorio, a person under police custody (PUPC), who was detained at the police station.
Believing that the representation was legitimate, Marivic sent the said amount under the account name of Lourdes through an online banking operator.
The report added that immediately upon the information from Marivic, it conducted coordination and a conference with the Provincial Prosecutor, together with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Batangas led by Police Staff Master Sergeant William Lanzatin.
During the conference, Atty. Ramirez- Zapanta averred that she did not have an account with the bank and requested that the incident be thoroughly investigated.
Further, an awareness advisory was posted on the official social media account of the Taal Municipal Police Station to warn the public against similar scams.
Police are sending a letter to online bank requesting information regarding the availability of the identification and documents submitted in the registration of the said account.