CDO warns public versus fake traders

One of the country’s top meat processing firms has warned the public yesterday against the resurrection of a scam group that dupe people while selling hotdogs and other meat products.

Bong Cendana, national sales manager of CDO-Foodsphere, Inc. said his company has received complaints lately from people victimized by the syndicate, posing as CDO salesmen and asking for cash money as deposit fee for livelihood equipments freezer.

The sweet-talking suspects, according to reports, introduce themselves as CDO salesmen and they offer retail stores or households with CDO products such as hams, hotdogs, bacons and similar products and make promises of giving away free freezers or hotdog cooking equipment for a minimum worth of purchase.

"They are at it again. These unscrupulous people are out to swindle the public and malign the good name of our company," Cendana said.

On Sept. 8, victim Margarita Nuñez of San Jose City complained to CDO management after she bought P2,000-worth of CDO products. Aside from her outright purchase, she was also convinced by the scam group to shell out additional P1,500 as deposit fee for a brand-new freezer which the unlawful group promised to deliver a week later.

The fake salesmen never went back at Nuñez prompting her to report the incident with the company. CDO said the scam group had been operating since last year. Among the names reportedly used by the syndicate were Richard Sunico, Odie Sy, Rogelio Morales, Roberto Gajudo, Ronald Lim, Ken Medina, Macky de los Reyes, Mark Pineda and Arnold de la Paz. Reports show that the group operates in Metro Manila, Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon provinces.

Reports also show that the scam group targets owners of sari-sari stores, wet market outlets and households. "Our company has no such program requiring deposits, down payments nor reservation fees," Cendena said.

Cendana advised the public to transact business only with authorized dealers and salesmen of CDO and report misrepresentation by any individual or group through the company hotline 294-1111 local 214 or 237.

CDO is one of the biggest local producers of hotdogs, hams and canned meat products such as corned beef, meat loaf and liver spread.