Eight more people arrested in relation to $47.5 million NCB phishing scam

Eight people were arrested over the last 24 hours in connection with the $47.5 million phishing scam uncovered at the National Commercial Bank (NCB), the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) has disclosed.

The five men and three women were apprehended during a series of coordinated operations in Kingston, St Andrew and Clarendon.

All eight are expected to be charged with criminal offences “shortly”, said Major Basil Jarrett, director of communications at MOCA.

Their arrests bring to 12 the total number of people taken into custody in connection with the scam that was used to fleece millions of dollars from NCB customers.

The operations targeted homes in Whitehall Terrace, Kingston Gardens, Seaview Gardens, Stony Hill and Tavern, in Kingston and St Andrew, as well as Longville Park, Clarendon Park and May Pen in Clarendon.

According to MOCA, the alleged crimes took place between April and June 2022 when members of an organised crime syndicate targeted 16 NCB accounts with the phishing scam and transferred the funds to the accounts of several beneficiaries.

“We take crimes of this nature and magnitude seriously”, Jarrett said in a statement released on Friday.

"Today’s arrests are a demonstration of MOCA’s resolve to bring everyone involved before the courts”.

He also lauded the police for their role in the operations.

Major Jarrett urged members of the public to remain vigilant in their online activities and to report any suspicious activities involving financial transactions to the agency’s tip line at 888-MOCA-TIP.

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