By CESAR JOLITO III
A senior citizen in Negros Occidental’s Escalante City lost more than P52,000 after falling victim to an e-wallet scam, prompting police to renew warnings that elderly individuals remain prime targets for digital fraud.
The incident occurred on April 12, when an unidentified suspect visited the victim’s small shop and pretended to conduct a cash-in transaction to his e-wallet account.
According to the victim’s son, Neil Montaner, the suspect claimed he was unable to receive a One-Time Password (OTP) and asked to check the victim’s phone, citing possible signal or device issues.
Authorities believe that during this brief interaction, the suspect was able to access the victim’s mobile device and link her e-wallet account to his own.
The fraudulent activity went unnoticed until funds began disappearing.
Montaner said the suspect withdrew a total of P52,850 over the course of two days before the unauthorized transactions were discovered.
“Within minutes, na-link na. In two days, kinuhanan ng pera. Grabe ang kanyang diskarte,” he said.
The incident was captured on the shop’s closed-circuit television camera, which has since been turned over to authorities.
The family has filed a formal complaint as police continue their investigation to identify and locate the suspect.
The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) warned that scammers are increasingly targeting senior citizens, exploiting their trust and limited familiarity with digital financial platforms.
NOCPPO spokesperson Police Captain Judesses Catalogo emphasized that fraudsters often manipulate victims into revealing or unknowingly granting access to sensitive information such as OTPs, which are critical for securing financial transactions.
Authorities urged the public, particularly relatives of elderly individuals, to remain vigilant and ensure that mobile phones and financial applications are not handled by strangers.
They also advised against sharing OTPs or personal account details under any circumstances.
The police reiterated that increased awareness and caution are key to preventing similar scams./CJ, WDJ