MANILA — Two Cameroonian nationals were arrested by the National Bureau of Investigation-Cybercrime Division (NBI-CCD) in Taguig City during a sting operation on a "black dollar" scam, the agency said Thursday. The scam involves convincing victims to pay money for chemicals purportedly needed to convert counterfeit currency into real dollars.
According to Philippines News Agency, the suspects, identified as Khan Fonkam and his brother Awa Fonkam, were apprehended at Bonifacio Global City on Wednesday following a complaint against a certain "Dr. Paul." The complainant reported that "Dr. Paul" introduced himself as an investor interested in the Philippines. On July 5, 2024, they met at a hotel in Makati City where the complainant gave "Dr. Paul" PHP400,000.
"Dr. Paul" began the "decoding process" by placing the money in foil with powder and soaking it in hot water, instructing the complainant not to open the foil for 24 hours. Suspicious, the complainant opened the package at home and found black papers inside. When he contacted "Dr. Paul," the latter requested an additional PHP50,000 for more chemicals, prompting the complainant to report the matter to the NBI.
Further research revealed that "Dr. Paul" was actually Khan Fonkam, previously arrested by the NBI-CCD on May 31, 2024. The arrested suspects were brought to the Office of the City Prosecutor in Taguig City for inquest proceedings for estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code and Illegal Possession and Use of False Treasury or Bank Notes under Article 168 of the Revised Penal Code, all in relation to Section 6 of RA No. 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012).