ANN/THE STRAITS TIMES – Is it really love? Maybe not. Philippine and Australian officials are warning against romance scammers online.
While there may be people who found lasting relationships through the Internet, others are not so lucky and have fallen victim to romance scams, where fraudsters using dummy accounts cultivate fake relationships with their victims in dating apps or social media for financial gain.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) last month alerted around 5,000 of its citizens who were potential victims of Philippine-based scammers.
Philippine authorities worked together with Australian counterparts in late 2024 to identify those likely Australian targets of the alleged romance scam after a Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogo) hub was raided in Paranaque City in October, 2024.
Smaller Pogo operations continue despite the December 31, 2024 deadline imposed by President Marcos for the shutdown of Pogo hubs in the country.
“If you’re talking to someone you’ve met online, do your research and make sure they are genuine. Look them up on Google, perform a reverse image search on their profile picture, or ask to meet them in-person or via video-call.
“More importantly, never send money to people you’ve met online,” said AFP commander of cybercrime operations Graeme Marshall, in a joint statement with the National Anti-Scam Center and the Philippines’ Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and National Bureau of Investigation.
To raise awareness about this scheme, the Philippine and Australian agencies detailed a “rom-con” script used by the Manila-based scammers against their targets online to recognise the warning signs.
“Scammers will use emotive language and create backstories that sound genuine to try and trick you into giving them money,” Marshall said.
A simple conversation would turn into a sudden romantic connection. The scammer would portray herself as “a kind-hearted Filipino woman living in Australia or a local female resident in the Philippines,” who was heartbroken by an ex-fiance who wanted “my money, not my love”, according to authorities.
