Iranian nabbed for credit card fraud

Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested an Iranian national for allegedly making purchases at a supermarket at the Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City using fake credit card.

CIDG deputy director Chief Superintendent Pedro Tango presented suspect Mohammad Panahandeh, 46, of Moonwalk, Parañaque City, to media yesterday.

Tango said Panahandeh was arrested shortly after trying to use a fake Visa card at a supermarket to purchase goods worth P6,652.22 last Monday afternoon.

"The cashier of the supermarket become suspicious and she told her manager, who called the credit card company and eventually the CIDG," Tango explained.

He said Panahandeh had successfully made several purchases from the same store worth over P800,000 using fraudulent cards in the past, prompting the credit card company and the store to monitor him.

During interrogation, Panahandeh yielded another credit card, a Guam driver’s license and a supermarket card with different names.

A representative of the Credit Card Association of the Philippines confirmed that the credit card seized from Panahandeh was fake.

Investigator PO3 Louie Lim said they are checking the authenticity of Panahandeh’s alien certificate of registration, which also appears to be fake.

"Panahandeh claimed individuals who provided him with the card gave him 15 percent of the goods he was able to purchase. We have yet to get their identities," Lim said

According to Tango, Panahandeh received the fraudulent credit from a European based in Metro Manila.

Police are now identifying and tracking groups behind fraudulent credit cards, which are able to purchase goods that are charged to legitimate card holders. – Cecille Suerte Felipe