A concerned netizen warned the public over fake monks scam in the Ortigas and other areas in Manila yesterday via Twitter.
Dash (@kimkarDASHA) posted, “Hi, if you’re in the Ortigas area, please be wary of mainland Chinese people posing as “monks” to scam you. One modus is they’ll approach you asking for help (asking for water, etc.), then will talk you into buying one of their “jade” bracelets.”
She also said the fake monks would suddenly come up to victims and put a bracelet in their arms and ask for money.
“Another modus is they’ll just come up to you, put a bracelet on your arm, and pester you for money. If you give the bracelet back, they give you some bull about how the bracelet won’t work anymore because you touched it,” she continued.
Dash shared the fake monks “don’t appear to speak any English or Filipino” but can definitely understand their victims. She advised everyone to walk fast and ignore them because if not, “they WILL follow you and pester you.”
She said she had to confront one of the fake monks who was harassing people at their building but was shocked by the response that she got.
“He said (in Chinese), “I can do what I want.” Was really taken aback by the arrogance in his tone,” Dash ranted in her post.
“POSTNOTE: If a “monk” is selling amulets, bracelets, paper blessings, etc. on the streets, he’s likely not a real monk!” she said as she ended her tweet thread.
Netizens warn public over Chinese fake monks scam in Ortigas, Manila
Another netizen shared a similar experience with the said fake monks in Pasay.
“Had the same experience 2 weeks ago here in Pasay. I thought he was just asking for donation so I gave him P20 then he put bracelet on me. Then he’s pointing at his golden bowl yun pala he’s trying to tell me its 100 pesos,” said Dex Quindoza.
Another said the same scam was spotted in 7-11 at Mayfair Tower and in Makati City.
In a South China Morning Post last year, Elaine Yau shared six ways to spot a fake Buddhist monk, as shared by Hong Kong ex-actress turned lawyer Mary Jean Reimer who exposed the fake monks’ scam.