Akon’s 2006 hit “Smack That” might just make a resurgence after leaked CCTV footage from an alleged scam hub disguised as a call center in Cebu showed an agent singing the song in between scam calls.
The video showing the call center’s activities was leaked by hacktivist content creator “mrwn” on YouTube on Sunday, May 18, prompting authorities to raid and shut down the hub on Wednesday, May 21. As of publishing, the footage is no longer available on the video-sharing site, but clips have been reshared on other platforms.
GMA News reports that when police came to raid the call center, its employees had already fled the area, leaving computers and other gadgets.
The Philippine National Police, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) are all investigating the call center company’s activities. The company is believed to have targeted people from South Africa.
DICT Legal Affairs Assistant Secretary Renato Paraiso said the agency is looking to reach out to mrwn for details about the scam, The Philippine Star reports.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, May 20, Paraiso shared that mrwn initially reached out to Philippine authorities regarding the scam, but that he had decided to “take matters into his own hands” after they failed to respond.
“You can now contact the DICT and the CICC,” Paraiso said during the press briefing. “We’ll make sure that your information, whatever findings you have, we will follow it up.”
Cebu City Police Chief Colonel Enrico Figueroa said that the individual who had subleased the office reported the suspected scam hub to authorities.
“Aware daw po sila, and nireport daw po nila sa authority. ‘Yon ang iimbestigahan po natin, kung totoo po na nireport nila sa authority,” Figueroa said. The local police also reportedly have a list of the company’s employees.
