BAGUIO CITY: Mayor Benjamin Magalong has directed the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) under Col. Glenn Lonogan to investigate the boarding house scam which continues to victimize students in the Summer Capital. The ruse was first reported in August while the city was preparing for the resumption of face-to-face classes. A concerned homeowner in the city on August 8 alerted the City Mayor's Office that a photo of the façade of her residence had been used by a poseur who duped several students online into paying reservation fees supposedly for boarding and lodging. 'We have issued warnings and advisories, but these scammers have continued to victimize students. We need a thorough investigation on this,' Magalong said. Lonogan said the BCPO anti-cybercrime division will handle the investigation. Magalong again cautioned students and tourists to be wary of their accommodation transactions by making sure that they are transacting with the real owners or their authorized agents before agreeing to a deal or giving any payment. Students were advised to negotiate with the owners of the establishments personally and onsite, or verify by calling the Permits and Licensing Division at 619-3184 to confirm the names of registered owner/s and their contact numbers. For tourists, the City Tourism Operations Office advised visitors to transact only with accommodation establishments (AEs) listed under visita.baguio.gov.ph. or call hotline (074) 446-2009, 0956 572 9097 (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.); 0956 572 9093 (2 p.m. to 11 p.m.); 0956 572 9094 (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.) to authenticate if the person they are transacting with is really affiliated with legitimate AEs.
