OPERATIVES of the National Bureau of Investigation-Cybercrimes Division (NBI-CD) have apprehended three persons in Pasay City and Las Pinas City for allegedly selling registered Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards.
The NBI-CD said Beverly Cruz, Keone Gabrielle Lebumfacil and Aljon Christian Reyes were apprehended in two separate operations last September 8. Recovered from them were 1,023 SIM cards from different networks.
“Some are verified to be registered while others are unregistered, deactivated, or expired SIM cards. These registered SIM cards are allegedly used for fraudulent purposes, such as online scams,” the NBI-CD said in a statement yesterday.
The operation that led to the arrest of the three was prompted by information received by the NBI-CD that several individuals were selling registered SIM cards on Facebook, specifically on the SIM Card Philippines Buying and Selling Group.
Using a poseur buyer, the NBI-CD negotiated with one using the account name Nopce Naldz for the purchase of 1,000 SIM cards.
“Nopce Naldz said that he had 2,100 pieces of registered SIM cards and he would sell them at the price of P10 each. The poseur buyer agreed to meet with Nopce Naldz in a convenience store in Malibay, Pasay City,” the NBI-CD said, adding Cruz was arrested after she arrived at the meeting place and gave three SIM cards to the poseur buyer for verification.
One of the SIM cards seized from Cruz was found to be registered while the other two were not.
Cruz agreed that a partial payment of P1,000 to be sent to her Gcash account. Upon receipt of the payment, she was nabbed by the operatives.
Lebumfacil and Reyes were apprehended after handing SIM cards to another poseur buyer who contacted one Armando Samling after the NBI-CD noticed his social media posts advertising that he was selling 5,000 registered SIM cards at P30 each.
Samling, according to the NBI-CD, did not agree to meet with the poseur buyer and said he would only deal with a delivery rider.
Lebumfacil and Reyes were arrested after receiving P2,000 from the poseur buyer as payment for the SIM cards in Pilar Road, Las Pinas City.
Charges for violation of Republic Act 11934, the SIM Card Registration Act in relation to RA 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 have been lodged against the three before the Prosecutor’s Office in Pasay and Las Pinas.
