Update | Two arrested this week in $47.5M NCB phishing scam charged by MOCA

The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) is reporting that it has charged the two persons who were arrested this week in connection with the ongoing investigation into the $47.5 million phishing scam at the National Commercial Bank (NCB).

Twenty-five-year-old Avinish Isaacs of Cassava Piece, St Andrew and 24-year-old Nickiehsa Coote of Gregory Park, Portmore, St Catherine are both charged with breaches of the Cyber Crime Act, acquisition of criminal property, engaging in a transaction involving criminal property, facilitating the use of criminal property, accessing a programme or data held in a computer with the intent to commit an offence and conspiracy to defraud.

Issacs was arrested on Thursday and Coote was arrested the day before following early morning operations conducted by MOCA agents and officers from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

MOCA says these latest charges bring to 14, the total number of persons charged so far in connection with the massive cyber-crime which fleeced NCB customers of over $47 million.

The offences took place between April and June 2022, when members of an organised crime syndicate targeted 16 NCB accounts in a phishing scam and transferred the funds to a number of beneficiaries’ accounts.

“MOCA’s has given a high priority to cyber and financial crimes such as these”, said MOCA’s Director of Communications, Major Basil Jarrett, adding that “fraud and other cyber-crimes of this nature have grown significantly in recent years”.

According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica in its latest Jamaica National Crime Victimisation Survey, which was published last week, there were 88,108 incidents of bank/consumer fraud reported in 2023, an indication that white-collar crimes are becoming just as prevalent as street crimes.

Jarrett is urging the public therefore to continue to remain vigilant in their online activities and to report any suspicious activities involving financial transactions to the MOCA’s tip line at 888-MOCA-TIP.

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