MANILA, Philippines — With Valentine's Day fast approaching, the Bureau of Customs (BoC) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned the public against online love scams, using the name of the BI and BoC as a conduit to dupe victims on the pretext that they have sent a package for them with the end purpose of extorting money.
Customs Assistant Commissioner and concurrent spokesman Philip Vincent Maronilla issued the warning on Tuesday to alert the public, saying that love scams are prevalent during this month in connection with the celebration of Valentine's Day on Feb. 14.
Immigration spokesman Dana Sandoval said on Tuesday that the BI uncovered the modus recently after a walk-in inquiry received by the agency from a woman who sought verification on an email allegedly sent by an immigration official regarding the delivery of a parcel from abroad.
The email claimed that the parcel, supposedly sent by her foreign boyfriend, had been “intercepted by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Interior” and required the payment of fees for its release.
Sandoval clarified that the email was fraudulent and forms part of a love scam, stressing that the agency does not intercept parcels, facilitate deliveries, or collect fees for the release of packages, and that it does not operate under a “Ministry of Interior.”
“The public is reminded that the Bureau’s mandate is limited to immigration control and border management, and not the handling or clearance of parcels,” she added.
Maronilla explained that based on their experience, the modus begins with the “love scammer” introducing himself as a foreigner from either Australia, United Kingdom or the United States on Facebook, internet chat rooms or other dating sites.
After befriending the victims online for several weeks they would send a message that they have sent a box containing expensive gifts like designer bags, jewelries, gadgets like laptops and smartphones via international door-to-door parcel complete with tracking number and invoice for the supposed shipment.
Thereafter, the victims would receive an email, a phone call, or a text allegedly from an officer or employee of the BoC informing them that the package was held in Customs and it would be sent to them only after they paid the corresponding duties and taxes to be deposited in a designated bank account or money transfer service.
