Pinoy Call Center Agent Stole Customers’ Citibank Details and Sold it to Sydney Crime Gang
A suspected member of Sydney crime syndicate escorted by Australian police. Image credit smh.com.au
A Philippine-based call center employee allegedly collected banking details of Australian Citibank customers and sold them to a Sydney crime syndicate, which then used the details to defraud the victims of more than $1 million, Australian police said.
The Philippine connection was revealed following the arrest of four suspected members of the syndicate last month while traveling on Beverly Hills, in Sydney’s south.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that police pulled-over a car for a random breath test last June and found out suspicious number of different credit cars inside the car.
The detail on the credit cards matches those stolen cards already on police record. Following the discovery of fraud, four male members of the alleged Sydney syndicate, aged between 23 and 38, were arrested in raids on two homes at Liverpool and West Hoxton on Thursday morning.
The Australian police said that they already identified that call center company where the Filipino agent is working, but refrain to give further details until the suspect is arrested.
The alleged call center company – also an Australian company provides customer service for Australian Citibank customers.
Investigation on how the Filipino call center agent gained contacts with the Sydney gang is ongoing.
Australian police already asked the cooperation of the Philippine police, and the cyber crime watch.
The Philippines, the leading call center country has more than 1 million workers servicing Australians, Americans, Canadians, British, and New Zealanders. It is possible that there are other unreported cases similar to the said stealing of details, and the police are doing its best to curb the said crime, the report said.
The penalty for the said crime carries unspecified length of time inside the prison, the police said.
/Aiko Robredo/
