By Vir B. Lumicao
 |
| Complainant's Hang Seng account was used to launder $500k in less than 3 months |
A 28-year-old Filipina domestic helper whose three ATM cards had been allegedly used by other people to launder at least $500,000 in illicit funds this year has told police she did not know they would be used in a criminal activity.
A.N. went to the Wan Chai Police station on Nov 7 to complain against a fellow Filipina named Jennifer who gave her a $2,000 loan on Apr 25 this year, but took the cards as surety.
 |
| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
A.N. told The SUN that one of her friends who also took out a loan through Jennifer has also decided to file a complaint with the police, but four others who are in the same boat are hesitating.
In her police statement, A.N. said she met Jennifer after she responded to a post on Facebook offering an easy loan of $2,000. When she called up the phone number provided in the post, Jennifer answered, and said they should meet.
 |
| PRESS FOR DETAILS! |
When they met one Sunday at Mei Foo MTR station, Jennifer allegedly told A.N. that to avail of the $2,000 loan, she had to hand in three ATM cards issued by HSBC, Hang Seng Bank and Bank of China.
 |
| BOC unilaterally froze the complainant's account in August |
A.N. did as she was told, then met up with Jennifer again on Apr. 25, during which she handed over the ATM cards and the passwords. Jennifer then gave her $2,000 and promised to return the cards after two months.
 |
| CLICK THIS TO REGISTER FOR FREE! |
When Jennifer failed to comply with this promise, A.N. sent her a WhatsApp message asking for her ATM cards. Jennifer allegedly told her if she wanted her cards back, she must delete their conversations.
A.N. said she did as directed but the cards were still not returned to her. Not long after, when Jennifer still refused to return her ATM cards, A.N. said she called up the banks and requested for updated statements.
 |
| How? Press this ad. |
“On July 17th, I received the HSB (Hang Seng Bank) savings account statement and saw that there were numerous suspicious transactions in amounts not made by me,” she said.
A.N. said more than $500,000 had been passed through her account in less than three months.
“I can’t remember the total amount that went in and out of my account, but it reached half a million,” Darlene told The SUN.
 |
| BASAHIN ANG KWENTONG DREAM LOVE |
On the advice of friends, she sought help from the police.
In turn, the police reportedly told her to ask the banks to close all her accounts.
A.N. said she went to Hang Seng last week to give them a copy of her police complaint and ask for her account to be closed. She was told to return after a month as they could not close her account right away.
Afterwards, she went to BOC, where she was reportedly told her the account had been frozen since August. A.N. asked the bank to close the account altogether.
As for HSBC, she still has to go to the bank and request for her account to be closed, as advised by the police.
