The Bureau of Immigration (BI) renewed their warning against online scammers who duped Filipinos through a love scam.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente reiterated earlier warnings against a syndicate that abuses the vulnerability of Filipinos seeking biracial relationships.
“With the re-opening of our borders to foreign tourists comes the return of the love scam,” said Morente.
According to Morente, unsuspecting victims usually meet the syndicate members online, who would woo them with small gifts, promises of international travel, and marriage. The fake foreign national will then claim to fly to the Philippines to meet and marry the victim.
“Upon the scammer’s supposed arrival in the Philippines, he will claim that he is being held by immigration authorities, or sometimes by other government agencies,” said Morente. “The scammer then will dupe his victim in depositing large sums of money in exchange for his freedom,” he added.
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Open borders see return of love scammers
The reminder came after the BI received a request from the victim last Wednesday, who alleged that his partner was being held by officers at the Davao international airport.
The victim showed screenshots of conversations with a man who pretended to be Morente, who was demanding payment in exchange for the release of her pseudo-partner. The scammer claimed to have been held at the immigration counters for holding large sums of money in his hand carry bag.
“This scammer had the audacity to use my name for his scheme. It is not within our jurisdiction to check bags of arriving passengers. We are concerned with the person and their documents, and not his luggage,” clarified Morente. “Upon checking, no such foreign national arrived in Davao,” he added.
Morente warned Filipinos who meet foreigners online to take extra caution and always verify the identities of those they meet. “Do not be fall prey to these swindlers and fraudsters that will promise you heaven and earth, only to be duped of your hard-earned money,” he warned.
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