Man thought he found love, but was a victim of a scam

A man fell in love with a beautiful woman online, then she started asking him for money as she continually refuse to meet him in person.  He later found out that he fell victim to an online "love scam," according to Oscar Oida's report on "24 Oras" on Thursday.

It seemed it was love at first sight for the victim, "Tino (not his real name)," who met a woman named "Andrea" online.

"Chinek ko ang profile pic niya. Ang ganda. As in, sobrang ganda," he said.

(I checked her profile picture online. Beautiful. She was so beautiful.)

His love for the woman blossomed as they conversed daily online.

"Hindi tumatakbo ang araw na hindi kami nagkaka chat, naguusap," he added.

(A day does not pass without us going online, talking.)

He did not mind that Andrea often asks him for phone load credits.

She also asked for money to pay for her electricity bills and to buy medicines for relatives who are sick.

Tino gives in to her requests for money even if she she always declines to meet up with him.

Tino disclosed that the only time he became suspicious was after she asked a big amount of money from him.

"Mayroon daw sinanla na lupa 'yong tatay niya, tutubusin niya raw so nag-iba na kutob ko noon," he said.

(She said her father pawned a piece of property that she wants to redeem. So, I felt different about her request this time.)

Tino, according to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Anti-cybercrime division, is a victim of the so-called love scam.

The perpetrators of love scams create fake profiles and use these to befriend people online, pretend to fall in love, use the victims to extract money from them.

"Love scam, just like any other scams online, ang pinagkaiba lang po nito, ang tinatarget 'yong emotional vulnerability ng mga victims natin," said NBI Cybercrime Division senior agent Atty. Kristita Amores.

According to a study by Kaspersky, a multinational cyber security company, there was an increase in cases of people who fall victim to love scams in 2020 or at the time when there was a limit to people's movements because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The National Bureau of Investigation then warned the public against fake social media accounts.

Sometimes the scammers introduce themselves as foreigners who are looking for spouses, the NBI said.

The suspects choose the people they will victimize online, including retired professionals.

The scammers check the profiles of would-be victims, whether they live alone or they have a family or pets.

One of the signs that the person who wants to befriend you online declines to meet you in person or through video calls.

The "red flag" or final warning sign would be when this person starts asking for money. --- Ma. Angelica Garcia/BAP, GMA News