‘ROMANCE SCAMS’: Online lovers: Stealing your hearts or your hard-earned money?

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Love can be found in the most unexpected circumstances, times, and places. And for some, venturing into online romance could be a ticket to “the one.”

But for two women from Iloilo province, their dream love turned into nightmares.

They gave their hearts but ended giving out their hard-earned cash to their supposed lovers who turned out to be online scammers.

Lieutenant Colonel Elmer Victorino Mora, acting chief of the PNP Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (RACU)-6, said the victims were a 31-year-old businesswoman and a widow in her 40s.

They were the only cases of online love scam recorded at least this year.

One of them lost PH200,000 while the other a whooping PHP600,000.

One of the suspects identified himself as an African-American while the other was a Filipino-American.

What happened to the two victims was a classic example of an online romance scam.

“Nagpa kilala na foreigner or someone from abroad tapos nag-invite as friend sa Facebook,” Mora narrated.

The FB friends then romantically pursued the unsuspecting victims.

Mora said that these scammers also invested in time, as they took the right moment before making their first moves.

The suspects also sent gifts like flowers and chocolates from abroad.

“After nakuha ang loob ng target nila, nag-propose ng marriage or settle down with target,” Mora said.

The scammers then told then victims they would visit the country to meet them.

The two victims were told that they would go to Boracay Island shortly after they arrived in Iloilo and would also look for business there.

“The suspects told the victims that they brought a big amount of money but they were held at the airport or by the Bureau of Immigration dahil sa unexplained big amount na gagamitin sana nila sa kasal, investment o patayo ng resort o malaking bahay,” Mora said.

This is where the con unfolded.

“He (suspect) told the target that they needed the money to settle with the authorities for their release,” Mora said.

At first, the suspects asked for small amounts to “test the waters.”

The victims were then told to send a bigger amount to settle the case so that they could be released.

In both cases, the victims sent money through cash remittance center.

“Since naka-establish na sya at napaniwala eh magpapadala naman si girl o victim ng pera di lang one time, sunod sunod na ‘yan kasi isip naman iba alibi,” Mora said.

In other parts of the country, and even in other countries, online “love scam” (which was referred to as an elaborate swindling scheme that plays on the desire for both romance and wealth) has been a common crime to dupe women.

And most often than not, such scams are not solved as the suspects use fake identities.

“Who would you run after kasi di mo kilala talaga nanloko sayo?” Mora said.

On top of that, the victims willingly gave their money.

The RACU-6 chief said the case could be considered estafa, which is a private offense that needs a private complainant.

“I hope this is a lesson to women not to trust persons they only know online,” he said.

It is also easier to know if these are scammers, as their Facebook timelines and profile reveal a lot about their identities.

Last year, RACU-6 also received complaints of love scams, but the money involved was way less compared to the two new cases.

Even the Bureau of Immigration has repeatedly warned women against love scams.

The NBI reiterated that immigration officers are not authorized to call or send messages to non-passengers. It is also illegal to demand money in exchange for the release of a passenger detained by the bureau.