Authorities Arrest Man for Scamming Business Establishment Using Pabarya Modus
PABARYA MODUS – A 33-year-old man was arrested after scamming a restaurant in Barangay Bagumbayan, Quezon City by pretending to offer change for large bills.
On Tuesday evening (July 30, 2025), the suspect was arrested for scamming various business establishments across Metro Manila using ‘pabarya’ modus.
According to police, the suspect was wearing a convenience store uniform and pretended to be an employee. He entered a restaurant and offered to exchange smaller bills or coins for larger bills.
The staff agreed and handed him P2,500. A few minutes later, one of the employees recognized him as the same person who pulled a similar trick back in April. They immediately alerted the guards and reported the incident to the police.
The suspect was arrested around 9:30 PM. Police recovered the stolen money and the uniform he used to deceive victims. Investigations revealed that he had been going around restaurants, convenience stores, and coffee shops offering to exchange coins for cash. Once the money was handed to him, he would make excuses and disappear.
CCTV footage from other incidents in Pasay and Taguig also showed the same man wearing the uniform and scamming cashiers using the same trick. In one case, a convenience store lost P34,000 after an employee trusted him and handed over the cash before receiving any coins.
In another post, a group of thieves caught on CCTV using old modus in Makati
Victims shared how the suspect appeared friendly and convincing, which made them believe he was a legitimate worker.
So far, at least 10 victims have come forward, with total losses reaching over P140,000. The suspect, who admitted to the crime, said he did it out of pity for his siblings. He is currently detained and may face syndicated estafa charges.
Authorities remind business owners to be cautious and avoid trusting strangers easily.
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