The raid on a scam operation in Cebu, Philippines failed due to a suspected insider leaking information.

On May 20th, the Philippine police, in collaboration with municipal departments, raided an office in Kasambagan District, Cebu City, which was suspected of being involved in transnational online fraud—BMJ Data Processing Services Company. However, when law enforcement arrived, the scene was already deserted, presumably having been tipped off in advance.

It is alleged that the company was exposed by a foreign white-hat hacker for luring overseas investors with fake investment projects. When the police entered the scene, the office had been cleared out, leaving only a small amount of desks and miscellaneous items; the person in charge claimed that they were only involved in equipment leasing and were unaware of the actual business operations.

The police have now obtained a list of employees and are investigating whether they participated in the fraud activities, and are applying for a search warrant to retrieve the remaining electronic devices. When inspected, BMJ Company could not produce a business license or mayor's permit and had been previously warned by officials.

This case highlights once again the concealment and mobility of online fraud gangs. The police are working with cybersecurity experts to trace the clues behind the group.