In peer-to-peer (P2P) cryptocurrency trades, fraudsters often rely on social engineering, technical jargon, and the gap between digital wallets and physical cash. But unlike traditional financial fraud, every cryptocurrency transfer leaves an immutable public receipt on the blockchain, something that can turn a deceptive transaction into direct evidence for a lawful arrest.
That digital trail proved decisive in Pasay City, where verifiable wallet records and P2P application logs enabled a victim to catch an alleged scammer in the act, execute a citizen’s arrest, and hand her over to local authorities following a ₱3.7-million crypto scheme.
The ‘Fake Crypto’ Gaslight
The incident began on July 22, 2026, during an in-person meeting along Roxas Boulevard. The victim transferred 60,000 USDT (Tether) valued at roughly ₱3.7 million to a digital wallet address provided by a 40-year-old Makati City resident Glenn Yzabel.
Immediately after the transfer went through, Yzabel claimed she had not received the funds and alleged that the cryptocurrency sent by the victim was “fake.”
However, peer-to-peer transaction logs, support verification from the wallet provider, and public blockchain tracking revealed a different reality: the 60,000 USDT was credited to Yzabel’s wallet address and almost immediately moved to a separate digital wallet.
From Denial to Extortion
Rather than settling the trade, the suspect allegedly escalated the fraud over the following days. On July 24, Yzabel convinced the victim to hand over an additional ₱200,000 under the guise of purchasing a “recovery token.”
She then demanded another ₱200,000 as a bogus “wallet top-up fee,” claiming the extra payment was required to release the locked 60,000 USDT.
Recognizing the scheme through persistent blockchain verification, the victim arranged a trap meeting on the night of July 28 at the CCP Complex in Pasay City. When Yzabel attempted to extract another ₱200,000 using the same pretense at around 9:00 PM, the victim executed a citizen’s arrest and brought her to Pasay Police Sub-Station 1 at 11:35 PM.
Digital Evidence and Legal Action
Yzabel was transferred to the Investigation and Detective Management Section of the Pasay City Police Station for inquest proceedings on charges of estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code and extortion before the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Regional Director PMGEN Anthony A. Aberin commended the victim’s swift action while highlighting the importance of digital evidence preservation in modern law enforcement.
Aberin urged crypto traders engaging in high-value P2P transactions to strictly verify trading partners, retain all digital correspondence, and secure transaction histories and wallet addresses to assist authorities during fraud investigations.
This article is published on BitPinas: How On-Chain Evidence Fueled a Citizen’s Arrest of a Crypto Scammer in Pasay City
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