THIS is a warning.

Scammers continue to use People’s Journal and People’s Tonight in their scheme to extort money from potential victims by threatening to expose their supposed illegal activities via hoax advertisements.

In this regard, victims who have received threatening email messages or phone calls from the scammers are advised to post this link on their social media sites to warn everybody and other targets that it has been a long time scam perpetrated by still faceless and nameless individuals.

Victims are also advised to file a complaint with the Philippine National Police and other concerned authorities.

The following is the article which was written by award-winning veteran police reporter Alfred P. Dalizon when the scammers started their modus. It has repeatedly been re-uploaded to constantly remind victims that it is a scam, and that they could take action by filing the appropriate complaint.

SCAMMERS USING JOURNAL GROUP

PNP cybercops order probe

ACTING on a request from the Journal Group of Companies, Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) director, Brigadier General Sydney S. Hernia on Thursday ordered an investigation of online scammers using People’s Journal and People’s Tonight to extort money or force their targets to pay their debts in the guise of hoax advertisements

“We are investigating this latest online scam and at the same time warning the public to be wary of the existence of such illegal activity. If you have come across such modus operandi, please come to our office and file a formal complaint so they can be properly acted upon,” said the head of the PNP-ACG.

The Journal Group management has called on the public not to entertain letters purportedly sent by the company regarding a ‘Notice of Publication’ that threatens the receiver to either settle his/her loan obligations or claiming that he/she is the subject of a cybercrime offense.

A sample of this letter is the following:

“We received a paid ad “Notice to the Public” against (letter-recipient) dragging the name of (recipient’s company) indicating that there is a pending case violation of Article 318 of the Revised Penal Code Access Device.

We noticed that it will bring negative publicity against you in line with our mandate of protecting the interest of member newspaper organizations and promoting ethical standards in the profession.

In granting the same, may we request that you coordinate with the advertiser’s representative of said advertisement., It will be published starting by July 26, 2023 in a newspaper and paid by a certain person (purported lawyer’s name).

Note: This is avoidable.

The scammers have been using the e email address “[email protected] which is entirely different from the official e-mail address of People’s Journal or People’s Tonight.

Article 318 of the Revised Penal Code pertains to ‘Other Deceits’ which carries the penalty of arresto mayor and a fine of not less than the amount of damage caused and not more than twice such amount on any person who shall defraud or damage another by any other deceit.”

On the other hand, RA 8484 is the act that regulates the issuance and use of access devices, prohibiting fraudulent acts committed relative to it and providing penalties for the offense. The crime carries a minimum penalty of P10,000 and an imprisonment of not less than 12 years and not more than 20 years.

Brig. Gen. Hernia said they expect that with the full implementation of the SIM Registration Law, scammers will now use FB Messenger and other Social Media Messaging Apps to scam/con other people.

In the case of con artists using the name of the Journal Group, he said that definitely, they will not be using text messages anymore to scam people and instead create different e-mail accounts to continue their illegal activities.

In the Journal Group case, company officials said the con artists are really making it appear that their e-mails really come from the publication to force their targets to settle their unpaid obligations or give in to their other demands.

The management of the Journal Group of Publications has officially denied it has sent or has been sending such threatening ‘Notices of Publication’ to the public via e-mail.

In 2021, online scammers also used the name of the late Journal Group publisher and editor-in-chief, Mr. Augusto B. Villanueva to extort money from their targets in the guise of hoax advertisements.

The scammers also used the fakenjournalpeoples<peoplesjournalnewspaper@gmailcom> address to victimize the public, the PNP-ACG learned.