Beware of people posing as agents for a modeling agency.
A female college student who just wanted to earn extra money for her studies almost ended up coughing up her own money after she fell prey to a group of cybercriminals engaged in extortion activities.
Senior Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, head of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group, said the incident all started when the 21-year old female victim was offered a six-month modeling contract for Avon, a popular undergarment company.
“The victim was actually recruited through Facebook by person who claimed she is Andrea Welsch Lombardo. She was promised a starting salary of P27,000 a month,” said Eleazar.
During their exchange of Facebook messages, the victim said she was asked by Lombardo to send photographs of her wearing an undershirt without a brassiere, a photo of her wearing only an underwear and bra, and pictures of her armpit and groin area for make-up purposes.
“She was asked by her contact to send her naked photographs while claiming that all the pictures will be confidential,” said Eleazar.
Last May 13, Eleazar said that the victim complained that a certain “Devan George” sent her photographs to her Facebook account as well as that of her mother and sister and demanded money.
The ctim and her parents then went to the ACG headquarters when another person, who identified himself as “Carlo Cruz” sent her a Facebook message demanding that she give her P60,000 last Thursday while asking for her mobile phone number at the same time. (Aaron B. Recuenco)