Scams are everywhere, there are personal scams, scams in the internet and thru SMS. I have experienced some scams myself thru text. This happened months ago wherein I received a text message from an unregistered number in my cellphone telling me this:
“musta na kayo? Eto bago kong roaming number. Miss ko na kayo. Magpapadala ako jan. gusto mo ba sumali sa negosyo ko?” (how are you all doing? This is my new roaming number. I miss you all. I will send you money. Do you want to join me in my business).
My mother is working in Bahrain. I just answered the message “what business?” because it got me curious. I also texted my aunt in Mindoro and asked her if my mother changed her roaming number because someone texted me and I have doubts that it was my mother who texted. My aunt called me that she has not changed her number and it was just a scam. I told her that I was also suspicious because she won’t send us money because all of her earning there goes to her debts here in the country so she also can’t start to have business. The texter texted me that the business she was planning was selling load. I replied him/her with “sorry but I don’t have time for that and he/she should find someone she can scam.”
Just yesterday, I have received another text:
“eto na bago kong roaming number. Paloadan mo muna ako ng 500 kasi tatawag ako jan.” (This is my new number. Please load my number P500 because I will call you.)
I immediately recognized it as a scam text because he/she was asking me to load her. I replied the texter: “How are you doing there in Haiti?” Remember my mother is in Bahrain and I don’t know someone in Haiti. (I’m sorry if I used Haiti, I know they just experienced a bad earthquake there. He/she should know that I already know that he/she’s a scammer because Haiti is in a really bad shape right now.) But guess what, the texter replied:
“ok naman ditto. Paloadan mo na ako ng 500, tatawag ako jan. (everything’s OK here. Load me now the P500, I will call there.)
And then the texter just gave it away, he/she really is a scammer!
Don’t be fooled by these scammers. Here are some tips:
- If you know that you didn’t joined any contest and someone texted you that you won, don’t believe it.
- Our loved ones from abroad does not use their roaming numbers on texting us and calling us, it is much more expensive if they use the roaming number. The purpose of the roaming number is to receive messages from the Philippines.
- If the texter asked money, stop entertaining the text messages. And besides, our loved ones in abroad are there because they want to give us money and not the other way around.
- If you are suspicious of the message, text back some trick questions just like what I did, I asked the texter how was Haiti when the fact is, my mom is in Bahrain and I don’t know someone in Haiti.
- Be more alert.
