I almost fell for the most sophisticated form of the ‘pasa load’ scam yet

[Ed's note: This is Zari's story, as told to GMA News Online's Lou Albano. Zari shared her story on Facebook, where we chanced upon it. We got in touch with Zari, who told us the complete story, which is narrated below.] 

We all know about the 'pasa load' scam. Many of us have encountered different versions of this mostly-annoying scam before. A year ago, my tita was scammed of P85,000 worth of load. When she told me about this, I even replied, “hindi ba kayo nagtaka?” We all think we know better but on Monday, I almost fell for it.

I had planned to have a very slow morning last Monday; it was a holiday and it was the season finale of "Game of Thrones".  

But in the middle of watching the much-awaited episode, at exactly 9:43 a.m., I got a text from a foreign number on my work phone. This number texted me three times. “Ma, nadisgrasya kami, dito ako ambulance papuntang hospital. Naki-text lang ako nasira cellphone ko.”

It could only be my eldest, Rico. That's how he calls me — "ma" — and he's the only one from my family who contacts me on my work phone.

When I got the text, my heart skipped a beat. But I tried to stay on top of it. I called my dad, with whom my son lives.

I asked him where Rico was and my dad said he was out of town. He had been in Batangas with his cousin and a few friends since Friday, when he posted a photo of the outing on Facebook.

“Rico texted me saying he got into an accident.” I told my father.

I called my son, but he wasn’t picking up. We were trying to keep it together for about an hour, before I finally called the foreign number. It was 10:54 a.m.

The person on the other end of the line said he was the attending physician. He introduced himself as Dr. Joey Ramirez of Manila Doctor’s Hospital. He noted the time delay: “Bakit ngayon ka lang tumawag?”

Then he delivered the bad news: My son Rico got into an accident. Dr. Ramirez said Rico’s in a critical condition. He added Rico was in the ICU.

He told me this in straight English, and it seemed he knew exactly what he was talking about, mentioning a CT scan and an MRI. He said Rico was hemorrhaging. He said Rico needed P150,000.

Being the mother, of course I started asking questions: What happened to Rico? How is he na? Where are you? Who is he with?

And then: “Will you let me finish first?!" He shouted invectives at me: "You’re a bad mother! You won’t let me finish!" He scared me some more: "I’ll hang up the phone.”

So of course, I was worried. If he put down the phone, how was I going to know anything else?

And then he spoke in Tagalog: “Ano, makikinig ka ba?”

“Yes I will listen na,” I said.

All the while, my partner was doing calls. He phoned my dad again. My dad called Rico again. My dad called my tita whose son was with Rico in Batangas. None of them were picking up. My partner called my dad again.

While that was going on, the doctor delivered more bad news: My son had an 85 percent chance to live. He told me there’s this medicine that could help him, but that it was unavailable in the hospital. He told me his nurse will run to get the vial of medicine. He told me a vial would cost P8,000. He told me to send the money via pasa load.

I stopped at that: No hospital will do that, I thought. Right when my senses set in, my partner started signaling for me to put down the phone. They had located Rico already. He was in Manila already, in the house of my tita.

I let the doctor finish his spiel. And then I asked, “Saan ko ulit papadala yung money?” He gave me the instructions again. And then I asked again: “Can I get your name?”

And he erupted: “You’re asking for my name again?! You’re not listening! Ang sama mo talagang tao!”

Empowered, I said, “yeah I’m asking for your name again.”

“This is Dr. Joey Ramirez,” he repeated.

To which I could only reply with a curt “p*tang *na mo” before putting down the phone.

It was very scary, because looking back, it looks like the scammers got a hold of my and my son’s details through social media. Rico has three Facebook accounts, one of which is public. 

Besides, he lost his phone back in December, where my name was stored as “Mommy Zari.”

I believe the scammers were working to make me reach peak panic, so I won’t be able to think straight and I’ll just hand them the money.

I may have believed everything they told me but I would never send money via pasa load. I would’ve rushed to the hospital — I was getting ready to leave in fact.

On Tuesday, Manila Doctor’s reached out to me on Facebook, to clarify their procedures. I have no plans of suing the hospital; I know the scammer was only using their name.

I’m sharing this with the public so people will be more aware. The 'pasa load' scammers are getting better and more sophisticated. Let’s all be vigilant. Let’s not fall for their crap.

I’m just grateful my son is okay, and that the only thing they got from me was my 'lazy time' and the chance to see the world premiere of the "Game of Thrones" season finale. — LA, GMA News