Too many online scams

By Herbert Vego

 

IF you have had sad experiences online, I am not surprised; I have been a victim of an online scam myself.

It began when a “good news” ad on Facebook detailed the “secret” of a lady doctor, identified as Dr. Maria Santos, who has kept herself active through her octogenarian years. The ad attributes her longevity to a strong cardiovascular system kuno, dahil sa gamot na “Cardio___” that had kept her blood vessels cholesterol-free.

To make the long story short, I ordered the advertised medicine online and received a pack of 20 capsules two days later. I willingly paid P2,000 for it, only to later realize that it was a placebo.

Similar “medical miracles” with different names continue to hook gullible online responders. The most expensive one is an “anti-aging” brand of “oral stem cells” costing more than P100,000 for the suggested seven bottles of 60 capsules in each bottle.

Woe unto us who fail to realize that the reason they are not sold in legitimate drug stores is because they don’t deliver the promise.

The other day, a lady friend called my attention to sales gimmicks she had fallen for. There was a time when she ordered a flip-flap ceramic pan. But when she opened the delivered box, it had turned into an ordinary metal pan.

She also fell for an advertised “electric pot with steamer”. To her dismay, she got one without a steamer.

If it was any consolation, hindi si Ma’am Au nag-iisa. A friend of hers had fallen for a “buy-one-take one” offer for a foldable garbage bin. The order arrived, minus the “take one”.

“I formally complained to the Department of Trade and Industry,” Ma’am Au told me. “No response.”

She was suggesting that a law be passed to protect consumers from online scams – say, by allowing receivers of the delivered products to examine them before paying, to be returned if defective.

Cong. Jam-Jam Baronda, ano say imo?

 

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POWER THIEVES STILL HERE?

DESPITE the alarm raised by the Iloilo City government against fires caused by electricity overload, fixers behind the power pilferers never seem to run out of tricks to stay in monkey business.

This I found out the other night while listening to broadcaster Jun Capulot on RMN-Iloilo. He revealed that MORE Power had discovered the new way that a syndicate had devised to make money out of thin air – using hidden PVC pipes to encase live wires that divert electricity from the power lines to neighboring homes at barangay San Pedro in Molo.

What a “creative” way for that syndicate to collect fixed monthly fees from gullible victims.

Capulot correctly warned that power pilferages had been a major cause of fires and frequent power outages due to power overloads.

But of course, the legally energized neighbors would not want to co-exist with power pilferers. The former may squeal because it’s they who bear the added burden of paying for 6.5 percent of systems loss or electricity bypassing electric meters.

As revealed to this writer by Ariel “Aye” Castañeda, head of MORE Power’s apprehension team, they had already disconnected more than 10,300 illegal users, who have been given the chance to apply for legitimate connection.

To legitimize, the applicant would only need to pay P2,500 for bill deposit, which could even be paid on a monthly installment.

Mas maayo na lang ina than being jailed for power pilferage or violation of Republic Act No. 7832, or made to pay a fine ranging from P10,000 to P20,000.

 

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THE RACE FOR COVID VACCINE

I guess everybody has received various FB-Messenger video presentations critical of global approaches against the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of them openly peddle the belief that it is a “conspiracy” with different motives. One of them blames China for “engineering” the virus which originated from Wuhan, China.

“We must hold accountable the nation which unleashed this plague onto the world – China,” Trump said in a recorded address to the General Assembly last September 22.

Trump, who caught COVID in October, said of his three-night hospitalization and recovery as “blessing in disguise,” proving that even without the forthcoming vaccine, the disease is controllable.

Incidentally, Pfizer of the USA and BioNtech of Germany are collaborating to develop the first trustworthy COVID vaccine.

In contrast, the Philippine leadership stresses the “wait” for “Sinovac” vaccine which is being developed by China.

Some Filipinos view that vaccine, assuming it reaches the Philippines, as “insult added to injury.” It’s not just because COVID is a “curse” from China but also because China has begun occupying our territories at the West Philippine Sea.

Moreover, a setback for Sinovac resonated with the news that one Brazilian participant in its test trial had died, prompting Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro to denounce the vaccine.

Meanwhile, the Philippine government intends to borrow up to US $9 billion (P433.3 billion) from the World Bank, allegedly to help fund the country’s purchase of 50 million doses of vaccine.

That raises eyebrows because Australia has already stashed away a lower budget for a higher number of doses — US $2.3 billion for 134 million doses.

Well, mas mayaman nga yata tayo.

 

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DUMAGUETE MEDIA UNHAPPY ABOUT SINAS

Poor P/MGen. Debold Sinas, he has become the most prominent butt of cruel jokes from netizens due to his lack of moral ascendancy that needs no elaboration for being too familiar.

But as far as our media colleagues in Dumaguete City are concerned, his assumption to the top as Philippine National Police (PNP) chief forebodes injustice over the murder of broadcaster Rex Pepino of 91.7 Original FM radio who was ambushed while on his way home on May 5, 2020.

The Dumaguete media claims that two former members of the Negros Oriental Police Office being sought for the murder — Melgin Drona Bulandres and Reuel Divinagracia Piñero — remain in “active duty status” at the National Capital Region Police Office, which Sinas headed until his recent promotion to the highest PNP post.

The Dumaguete press has criticized Sinas for refusing to suspend the two cops and to have them investigated and prosecuted.

 

If he does not backtrack, this issue could explode louder than the bold mañanita.