Con artists fool maid into handing over valuables

Manila: Con artists were able to fool the maid of a local political family into handing over nearly 40 million pesos (Dh3.1 million) worth of valuables by concocting a tale that her employer had met with an accident.

The family of former Malabon City mayor Amado Vicencio fell victim to the scam when the maid was hood-winked into handing over a large sum of money to the con artists.

Reports said the trusted maid of the family received a call on last Thursday from a woman who claimed to be the former mayor's 65-year-old wife Florenda.

The woman posing as Florenda said she had been involved in an accident after her car hit a "foreigner" and that she needed money so she could be released from police detention.

Florenda is the mother of incumbent Malabon City Vice Mayor Arnold Vicencio.