Philippine officials warned Filipinos in Malaysia of new financial scams involving so-called "Internet friends."
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the swindlers target female overseas Filipino workers with well-paying jobs in reputable companies.
"The swindler tells the victim to remit money as a precondition for receipt of the goods, job contracts or marriage/engagement proposals," the DFA said on its website on Tuesday.
"They also use bogus documents and bogus names of Malaysian officials to support their spurious claims," the DFA added.
Many Filipinos have been deceived by their "Internet friends" into parting with their hard-earned money, the DFA said.
Under one scheme, the swindlers claim that there is a valuable package, or bundles of foreign currency notes under the Filipino's name in Malaysia which must be claimed immediately.
A second scheme involves a lucrative job offer, claiming that the Filipino qualified for the position needed by a certain company.
A third scheme involves an SOS e-mail from alleged friends of the "Internet friend" stating that the friend is in trouble and is detained by authorities in Malaysia.
In the third scheme, the "Internet friend" allegedly needs the Filipino to bail him out of trouble.
This is reportedly done after the person manages to make the Filipino believe in his profession of love and everlasting friendship.
The Embassy warned OFWs of the scams and urged them to contact and seek advice from the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate before committing to dubious Internet offers. – VVP, GMANews.TV
No comments:
Post a Comment