A Bacolod resident was swindled of P200,000 by two alleged foreigners 5 a.m. Wednesday, the Bacolod police said yesterday.

Marites Acevedo, 41, of Villa Ramos Subdivision, Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod City, told Police Station 1 investigators that she lost P200,000 in cash to two black men who identified themselves as Canadians after talking to them about their business proposal at her internet café at Gatuslao Street, Bacolod.

Acevedo told Police Station 1 commander, Chief Inspector Noel Manaay, that the men, who used the names Allen Maxwell and “Dave”, had “sweet-talked” her into showing her cash to prove that she could afford their computer parts business proposal.

They told her to show them her P200,000 and they would put out the same amount, she said.

Her money and that of the two men were in plastic bags, she told the police.

But when the men left she discovered that the bag she was holding did not contain her P200,000 but cut paper smeared with ink to make them look like real Philippine currency, Manaay said.

The operation bore the style of “budol-budol” gang members known for tricking their victims into entrusting their money or property to them in exchange for a small favor or investment, Manaay said.

We have received reports that the two suspects left for Dumaguete City after the incident, Manaay said.

Bacolod City Police Office director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, yesterday reiterated a call for the public not to fall for “easy money” deals.

Citing the proverbial rule that nobody will take advantage if no one will allow it, Quebrar said most swindling cases, especially those involving “budol-budol” gang members, happen because the victims entertain the idea of earning a lot of money.

The “budol-budol” gang got its name from the bundles of paper cut into bill-sized strips that they insert between real money to trick their victims into entrusting their cash or jewels to them, he said.

Quebrar said the public should immediately report to the police if they have been victimized by swindlers so that law enforces can run after them.*PP

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