InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines - The Deparment of Trade and Industry (DTI) has advised the public to be extra careful in availing travel, food, and leisure promos proliferating on the Internet.
DTI issued the advisory after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) looked into the alleged scam involving group buying website Cleverbuy.com
The bureau received several complaints from consumers who paid for travel promo packages offered by Cleverbuy but failed to get confirmation from the website.
Some of the customers availed travel packages to Palawan from Cleverbuy but an airline company did not acknowledge their vouchers.
DTI Undersecetary Zenaida Maglaya said that because Cleverbuy was the one that accepted the fees from clients, "that means they're not off the hook."
Cleverbuy's employees also complained that they did not receive their salaries and commissions. Cleverbuy's website has been shut down and the company has already abandoned its office in Makati City.
An estafa or swindling case may be filed against those found liable in the online fraud, according to the NBI. However, there are no direct suspects yet and the company owners' whereabouts could not yet be ascertained. - with reports from Aliana Gimena
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