NBI Nabbed Fake Phone Seller

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) 7 personnel arrested Wednesday a 30-year-old man for selling a fake Samsung Galaxy S4 phone inside a mall.

Mathwell Fernandez, 30, was arrested after his customer Mischelle Royeca, a resident of Consolation town, complained before the NBI that the unit she bought from the suspect for P18,990 was fake. Royeca said she saw the advertisement posted by Fernandez on sulit.com of a Samsung Galaxy S3 mini for P8,999 at first , and when she inquired on if the seller had an S4, a higher-end brand, she got a positive response. The two then agreed to meet in SM so she could get the item in exchange of the agreed P18,990 amount. The current market price of an S4 is P30,000.

Royeca said instead of meeting her, the suspect sent a certain John Cabuenas to meet her at the parking lot of the said mall, where the transaction was consummated. Royeca said she paid for it, and went home without checking first the unit. It was only when she checked the unit when she realized it was just an imitation of the authentic unit. She said she called Fernandez to inform him about it, but her calls were rejected. It was because of this when she told the NBI of what had happened.

To entrap the suspect, the NBI men then used agent Donaver to contact Fernandez to purchase another unit. Fernandez at this time sent another delivery man in the name of Joseph Valiente, who told the authorities he usually get P300 to P500 from the suspect as his commission. Valiente’s arrest then led to the apprehension of the Fernandez. Fernandez said he bought fake S4 units for P10,000 in Colon St., and sold each online for at least P15,000.

Fernandez will be charged for estafa and illegal possession of firearms, after a handgun was found in his possession during his arrest.