The National Customs Directorate (DNA) has issued an alert to the population about two new types of scams. These scammers communicate with people through platforms such as Whatsapp and Facebook, with the intention of collecting a fictitious tax. In one of the modalities, the person receives a false notice about a package with money in her name, and is asked to “pay the taxes corresponding to the free transit of money.” The scammers provide false documentation and request payment of a tax adjustment of 2% of the amount sent, plus administrative and representation expenses.
In the other modality, the scammers communicate with the victim posing as a “friend or relative”, and ask for help to manage a package with gifts. Then, the person is notified that the money for the costs will be sent and a bank account is indicated to which they must make the payment. The DNA shared the information of an email that has been sent to specify the scam, where it is stated that “an amount sent from the Bank of Wales has been reflected for a value of US$ 88,133.00, a suspicious amount of money.”
In addition, the scammers say that “the amounts for free transit must be paid in the same way that all the procedures are being carried out so as not to generate other alerts” and that “if customs taxes are not paid before the end of the year fiscal, the same costs will not be maintained the following year”. The DNA has decided to intervene and protect one of the victims of this scam through the Legal Department, and verify a total disassociation with the scammers.
The DNA also indicated that those defrauded through the first modality must present evidence to the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Division, so that an adequate investigation can be carried out and the pending transaction for the amount of US$ 88,133 is allowed to pass freely. 00. The investigation will be presented to the Money Laundering and Drug Trafficking Division, and the tax adjustment payment will be made in the amount of US$ 1,762.00, equivalent to the 2% pending payment.
