The Public Security Police (PSP) arrested a local woman for cheating a Filipina in a “domestic helper job” ruse last Thursday, PSP spokeswoman Kong Chi Ian said during a regular press conference on Monday.
Kong identified the suspect as a local Portuguese female surnamed Alves in her fifties, who claimed to be jobless. Kong also said that the victim is a woman in her twenties from the Philippines.
According to Kong, on February 10, the victim learnt through a friend that Alves was planning to hire a domestic helper.
The victim and her friend met Alves to talk about the job opportunity, Kong said, adding that during the meeting, Alves claimed that she would hire the Filipina but demanded a “processing fee” of 20,000 patacas from her.
Believing Alves, the victim handed over the amount, Kong said.
The three then proceeded to Taipa’s Pac On district, purportedly to “complete the necessary paperwork”, Kong said, adding that on the way, Alves handed 5,000 patacas to the victim’s friend before she excused herself to go to the toilet, after which she failed to join the other two.
The PSP Immigration Department is located in Pac On.
Kong said that the victim’s friend insisted that she hadn’t had prior knowledge of the ruse and, therefore, returned the 5,000 patacas to the victim.
Kong did not reveal the gender and nationality of the victim’s friend.
Both made multiple attempts to contact Alves but in vain, according to Kong. Suspecting they had been cheated, Kong said that they reported the matter to the Public Security Police, stating a loss of 15,000 patacas.
Based on CCTV footage, PSP officers identified Alves and arrested her last Thursday in Avenida do Progresso in Taipa, Kong said, adding that under questioning Alves denied the allegations and refused to answer further questions.
Alves has meanwhile been transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing a possible fraud charge.
This undated handout photo provided by the Public Security Police on Monday shows PSP officers escorting the fraud suspect surnamed Alves to a local police station.
