67-year-old woman loses thousands of pesos to love scam

A 67-year-old Filipina woman lost thousands of pesos to a love scam after she was fooled by a person pretending to be a 66-year-old retired US Army general.

According to Emil Sumangil’s “24 Oras” report on Wednesday, Pangasinan resident Aling Remy has been at the NAIA Terminal 1 for days awaiting the release from Immigration of a certain Alex Shandler whom she met on Facebook.

“Marami akong ka-chat… ginusto ko siya kasi mabait siya sa pagtingin niya o ano, hindi siya bastos,” she said.

Last week, the scammer asked Aling Remy for $500 or over P24,000 supposedly to leave his camp in Afghanistan and claim his pension of $300,000 or over P14 million.

The victim loaned P35,000 to send to the man she believed to be her future husband.

The scammer then claimed that Immigration personnel were asking him to pay P70,000 to be released from the airport.

“Nandito siya, hawak siya. Ayaw nila ibigay ‘yung bagahe niya kasi sabi niya gusto raw nila buksan ‘yung bagahe niya. Sabi ko naman, ‘No way!’” Aling Remy said.

“Kinukuhaan ako no’ng tatlong babae ng tig-P30,000. Saan ako hahagilap ng pera dito?” she added.

Three women who have been contacting Aling Remy have already received P20,000 from her.

Despite losing money and waiting for over a week now at the airport, she remains hopeful that she was not scammed.

“Hindi. Nandito siya. Hindi siya nanloloko ito. ‘Yung tatlong babae ang scammer,” she said.

The three women and her supposed American partner can no longer be reached

Airport police said Aling Remy was a victim of a love scam.

“Sasabihin na siya ay na-hold sa Immigration at kinakailangan niya magbigay ng pera upang siya ay i-release. ‘Wag na ‘wag niyo po itong gagawin kasi ito po ay scam,” airport police Senior Inspector Nemencio Bawalan said.—Julia Mari Ornedo/LDF, GMA News