3 Koreans busted for credit card fraud

Three Korean nationals, suspected of being involved in credit fraud, were arrested in a police sting operation in Makati City last Tuesday.

Chief Superintendent Jesus Verzosa, identified the arrested Korean nationals as Han Hwa Him, 36, and her male cohorts Kim Hyuk and Yun Gu Rho, 32, all temporarily residing at a Pasay City hotel.

The three were collared inside a fastfood restaurant on Makati Avenue, Makati City while trying to arrange a deal involving the sale of fake credit cards, whose account numbers are all chargeable to legitimate Visa and Mastercard holders in the US.

Verzosa said the operation that led to the arrest of the suspects was made following complaints from American citizens who were being charged for purchases in the Philippines. Most of them have never been to the country.

Seized from the suspects were 24 unmarked international credit cards, which upon examination, had numbers of legitimate international Visa and Mastercard holders.

A representative from the security and risk committee of the Credit Card Association of the Philippines, who was around to supervise the police operation, has certified that the seized credit cards were fake.

Following their arrest, the suspects were taken to Camp Crame for documentation and the filing of criminal charges.

Verzosa said the Korean Embassy has been informed about the arrest of its nationals while the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) will formalize the deportation proceedings of the suspects.

"One of the seized credit cards was found out to be counterfiet yet it could be used to buy something," said Senior Inspector Albert Garcia, head of the arresting police team.

Garcia added that the suspects’ illegal activities in the country was also reported by a civilian informant, who called the attention of the Philippine National Police.