The Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), supported by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), has arrested four suspects in connection with an investigation into a smishing fraud at National Commercial Bank.
The four, who are accused of stealing over J$80 million through phishing, smishing and vishing attacks between April 2022 and December 2023, are alleged to have defrauded eight NCB account holders by transferring the funds to 23 beneficiaries who are involved in the scheme.
The four are expected to be charged shortly.
Phishing and smishing scams refer to the use of fraudulent emails and texts, respectively, fashioned to mirror a legitimate company's communication, with the aim of soliciting the victim's access information.
According to Director of Communications at MOCA, Major Basil Jarrett, Wednesday's operation and the subsequent arrests underline the important work of the agency's Cyber-Crime Investigation Unit in light of the
growing threat of cyber and cyber-enabled crimes.
Major Jarrett also urged the public to remain vigilant in their cyber activities by checking the legitimacy of their communications and the online entities that they are doing business with and taking steps to secure their confidential information online, especially in the busy Christmas season.
He also encouraged members of the public who have information on this and other types of illegal cyber activity to call the MOCA Tip line at 888-MOCA-TIP.
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