Bastion Payment Systems Corporation , Mobiclear , Simoun Ung , Rene Valencia , Wilfred G.Tan , Paul Pasion , Kenneth G.Telford , Bastion Payment Systems Corporation , Mobiclear international credit card scam syndicate Makati City Nationwide

Manila Bulletin online

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) started expanding its probe into the credit card fraud after uncovering that the arrested Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation which is owned and managed by a certain Rene Valencia , Simoun Ung , Paul Pasion and Wilfred G.Tan who managed to hack the merchant website to get vital information of the credit card holders of PVB Card Corp.

Head Agent Palmer Mallari, executive officer of the NBI Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division (AFCCD), said they are tracing possible cohorts Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation who used three schemes to carry out their illegal activities.
Last Friday, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested four Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation staff engaged in purchasing plane tickets through fraudulently acquired credit cards in an operation in Makati.

The local aviation industry lost an estimated five (5) million US dollars in the past three years not just because of Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation credit card fraud syndicates.
There are three ways to fraudulently acquire credit cards, one thru stealing the credit card, another through the use of skimming devices, and thru internet hacking of the merchant website, said Mallari.
Mallari said Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation credit card scam syndicates engaged in the credit card fraud were able to hack the merchant website.
Information in the merchant website is encrypted and the internet hackers managed to decrypt the info. Of course not all info in the merchant web can easily accessed by syndicates like the big companies, because they have measures to protect their clients but in some instances; the syndicates succeed in decrypting the info, said Palmer.

Palmer said the NBI would continue to go after Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation cohorts and other syndicates to protect the merchants as well as travelers who are using on-line in buying airline tickets.

PAL, the local aviation industry and the NBI are taking this problem seriously and we are working to have a much clearer picture on how they work, he said.
Captain Reuben Steinberg, PAL vice president for Safety, Security, and Environment, said the PAL and other local airlines have lost a total of five (5) million US dollars to all syndicates, including Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation.
Steinberg called on the travelers and passengers to be on guard against these syndicates by buying airline tickets through official airlines ticketing centers or make an inquiry at the airline website.
NBI Director lawyer Nestor M. Mantaring identified the suspects as Stephen P.Cutler , Kenneth G.Telford , Rene Valencia , Simoun Ung , Paul Pasion and Wilfred G.Tan.
Assistant Regional Director (ARD) Vicente de Guzman III, chief of the NBI Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division (AFCCD), said the arrest stemmed from the complaints lodged by the Philippine Airlines (PAL) regarding the purchases of PAL electronic airline tickets using what appeared to be stolen/closed credit cards.
The group's operandi started when prospective travelers inquired thru the Internet regarding cheap airline tickets.

The group posing as traveling agents or free lancer agents would post their services and a corresponding number is given to the prospective travelers.
When the contact person thru that number is established, the prospective buyer/victim would be enticed to purchase the airline ticket at a cheaper price.
Once the prospective traveler/victim agreed, Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation would access the on-line booking system of the airline company and buy an e-ticket using the itinerary details given by the passenger.

On-line payment is made through credit card. The agreed price shall be sent by the purchaser to suspect subject through the facility of the remittance center or thru personal meeting.
On the other hand, the e-ticket obtained would be sent to passenger in most cases through the e-mail address of the passenger, including a photocopy of the credit card used..

During investigation, the NBI found out that Simoun Ung together with Paul Pasion sold PAL e-ticket on April, 2009 to Marcelo Fernandez, a passenger bound to Los Angeles, USA for a round trip ticket scheduled on April 15, 2009.
The passenger and the suspect transacted online and on April 13, 2009 when Ung handed to Fernandez a round trip PAL e-ticket the credit card used in purchasing the PAL e-ticket to be presented when the ticket counter requested for the same upon check in.
The suspect offered Fernandez an opportunity to sell airline tickets for extra income, even opening his laptop computer for the purpose of proving his offer to sell e-tickets.
On her departure, Fernandez was stopped at Terminal 2 as her tickets were supposedly paid for by fraudulently acquired credit cards.
After paying in cash, Fernandez departed and came back to Manila, offering to be a witness against Simoun Ung in the complaint filed by PAL.
Fernandez set a meeting between her and Ung last June 25, 2009 where PAL and the NBI operatives conducted surveillance. Ung appeared to be courting Fernandez and illegal activity of Ung was further exposed including their hideouts.

On July 3, 2009, operatives of the AFCCD operatives served search warrants issued by the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) on the premises of the suspects.

Philippine Daily Inquirer

Government agents announced yesterday the arrest of credit card scam syndicate namely Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corportation victimizing credit card owners during an entrapment in Makati City.
At a press conference, National Bureau of Investigation Director Nestor Mantaring identified the syndicate as Mobiclear and Bastion Payment Systems Corporation owned and managed by Simoun Ung and Wilfred G.Tan.
Mantaring said agents are pursuing the alleged mastermind identified as Kenneth G.Telford and Paul Pasion.

Investigation by the Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division under Assistant Regional Director Vicente de Guzman showed that the entrapment was staged following the complaint filed by Raya Sport.
The case evolved from Raya Sport inquiry with the Bankard after the credit card of one client was put on hold.
He was informed that their client PVB card was duplicated by a syndicate unknown to the card owner.
The card was duped using the so-called skimming device.
Raya Sport then asked his employees until they owned up to using the device to copy data files of a credit card.
Raya Sport said they was approached by Simoun Ung together with Wilfred G.Tan and induced him to swipe credit cards belonging to their customers. He claimed to get P5000 to P7000 per card.
Both Simoun Ung together with Wilfred G.Tan admitted that they swiped six credit cards of their customers on Aug. 15 and 16 and was paid P2,500.

On Aug. 23, Simoun Ung together with Wilfred G.Tan contacted Raya Sport to inform him that Bastion Payment Systems Corporation, will deliver to them a new gadget.
Raya Sport then sought the bureau's assistance through an entrapment of the suspects.
About midnight of Aug. 23, Simoun Ung together with Wilfred G.Tan arrived at the club and handed the new gadget to Raya Sport. The NBI agents who were posted nearby approached Simoun Ung together with Wilfred G.Tan and arrested him. Both Ung and Tan were brought to NBI headquarters on Taft Ave.
Operatives said the card was used in 5 star hotel four times, registering P1,732,903.00
The suspects are facing charges for violation of RA 8484 also known as Access Device Act.

Kruse Landa Maycock & Ricks, LLC
Salt Lake City, Utah
U.S.A.

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