PH-Mill

Common scams in Philippines

Many foreigners visiting or living in the Philippines become victims of scams or frauds, and some have lost considerable amounts of money.

There are a variety of ways to relieve unsuspecting or naïve foreigners of their money.

Relationship fraud:

This is a persistent problem in the Philippines, and it is not uncommon for Filipinos to enter into marriages with foreign citizens solely for financial or immigration purposes. Relationships developed through correspondence, especially those begun on the internet, are particularly susceptible to manipulation. For most of the countries - marriage to a foreign citizen doesn’t confer citizenship, nor does it make the new spouse automatically eligible for entry to the country of the spouse. A foreign spouse requires a temporary entry visa to enter and visit the country of the spouse. Please ensure that if you intend for your partner to travel to your country with you or to visit you, you are aware of the visa requirements that must be met as defined by Immigration in your country.

Relationship scams:

Although the majority of Filipino singles are genuine and serious about finding a partner; unfortunately a few of them turn out to be scammers and malign Filipinos on online dating sites. Most Filipino dating scammers work on the principle of low value, high volume scamming. Typically this involves asking a victim to send a small amount of money to buy food, pay for daily living expenses, internet access, hiring a private room with a webcam or numerous other variations on the above. Filipino scammers may also ask you to send money for plane tickets, visa fees, marriage annulment fees or other travel related expenses.

Spiked drinks: 

Some criminals add knockout or ‘date rape’ drugs (known locally as Ativan) to drinks or food to subdue and rob their victims. It is best not to accept food, drink or rides in private vehicles from strangers, even if they appear legitimate. These can involve being befriended by a local and asked to join in a friendly game of cards. Once you have won a few times, the stake increases and your winning streak disappears. These scams can have serious consequences — local gangs have been known to force victims into withdrawing large sums from ATM machines. Avoid getting involved in card games.

Phone scams: 

The perpetrator makes a telephone call usually to a the victim’s home and tells the person answering (usually a member of the domestic staff) that the resident or resident’s guest has been involved in an accident. The caller says the resident or guest is in distress and that money is immediately needed for the urgent medical treatment. (Sometimes the reasons for the immediate need of money vary, e.g. to pay off somebody so the media doesn’t get involved.)The caller advises the staff member to leave the telephone off the hook, search the house for money or valuables such as jewellery, and take it to a rendezvous point. Domestic staff should be warned about this type of scam. They should be trained not to comply with such demands and given advice about what to do if called.

Taxi scams: 

Taxis are the recommended form of public transportation in the Philippines, but you need to take some precautions. Don’t enter a taxi if there is anyone other than the driver in it. Before getting in a taxi check that the doors can be locked from the inside, otherwise you’re vulnerable when stopped in traffic. Check the back seat to make sure that no-one is hiding on the floor. Ensure the doors can be opened from the inside. Request that the meter is used (sometimes a taxi driver might request a cash payment instead of using the meter).Take a mental note of the license plate number. Once in the taxi conspicuously text the number of the taxi to someone, or at least pretend to do so. Remember to text the contact when you have arrived safely. When driving in the city, make sure that the doors are locked and the windows rolled up. If the driver is unwilling to comply with your requests, it is best to wait for another cab.

Credit card fraud: 

You should be vigilant when using credit cards. One common form of credit card fraud uses an electronic device to retrieve and record information, including the PIN, from the card’s magnetic strip. The information is then used to make unauthorised purchases. To limit your exposure to this scam, never let you card out of your sight. When using cards in ATMs choose a machine that is attended by guards or in a busy place. Look to see that the ATM has not been tampered with. Cover your hand when entering your PIN.

Other scams and frauds:

Inheritance scam letters and pyramid game scams are also frequently received via email. New themes and variations for conducting scams are constantly appearing. Visitors and residents should be alert to being targeted by even the friendliest of people, whether locals or foreign nationals Remember the golden rule - NEVER SEND MONEY TO ANYONE YOU MEET ONLINE.

Webcam scams:

There are several variations on this scam. In one variation a Filipino asks you to send money so that she can purchase a webcam for an online video chat with you. The victim sends the money to purchase a webcam and the lady vanishes with the money never to be seen again. In another variation the Filipino lady may ask the victim to send money so she can hire a private room in an internet café. Once again, the lady vanishes with the money. In the final variation of this scam the Filipino lady may explain that she is a student and is moonlighting as a webcam girl at an adult chat site. The Filipino lady sends the user a link to an adult chat site and states that the service is free and a credit card is only needed for age verification. Several weeks later the victim looks at their credit card statement and sees billing for adult chat services.

Education fee scams:

In this scam the scammer asks you to send money for fees for college, university or other educational activities. Food, rent or living expense scam In this scam the scammer asks you to send money for food, rent, internet access or other living expenses. Typically this will be followed by a request for another small amount of money shortly after the victim sends their initial amount.

Travel expense and visa fee scam:

In this scam the scammer will say that he/she wants to visit you but doesn't have enough money to pay for his/her plane ticket and travel expenses. They will then suggest that you send them the money so they can purchase a plane ticket. Shortly later they will tell you they need additional money for a passport, visa fees, transportation to the airport and miscellaneous expenses. In some cases they will also tell the victim that the visa requirements state that they need to have a certain amount of money in their bank account so they can proof to the immigration official that they have sufficient funds for their visa. Some scammers will show fake copies of plane tickets, visas or other documents to make the travel plans appear to be authentic. After wiring the money the victim waits at the airport patiently with a bunch of flowers for his/her love of their life to arrive. Only when all passengers are off the plane