Woman arrested over alleged DSWD investment scam

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A woman was arrested in Ermita, Manila, for allegedly posing as a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) employee and using falsified documents to solicit thousands of pesos in investments.

In an exclusive report by John Consulta on "24 Oras Weekend," the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Special Action Unit arrested the suspect during an entrapment operation after she allegedly convinced an undercover agent to invest P1 million in her supposed business venture.

NBI Director Melvin Matibag said the suspect approached individuals and groups to solicit money, claiming that she had a contract with the DSWD for a feeding program.

She reportedly presented documents, including a purported DSWD Notice of Award, to convince potential investors that the venture was legitimate.

However, the DSWD determined that the document obtained by the NBI was not authentic.

Authorities said the suspect allegedly copied legitimate documents and altered the contract details to make it appear that she was part of a DSWD program.

DSWD spokesperson Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao warned the public to carefully verify individuals or groups claiming to be connected with the agency, particularly those soliciting money using its name and documents.

The suspect is facing complaints for falsification of public documents and estafa.

The NBI said its investigation is continuing to determine whether there were other individuals involved in the alleged scam.— MCG, GMA News