A 72-year-old vendor in Dagupan City fell victim to some trickery after a customer paid him with play money for the ‘balut’ he was selling.

It was nighttime at that time.

The vendor, Sonny Soriano, did not notice immediately that the P1,000 bill the customer gave him was fake.

In fact, he gave the customer a change of P925 for the three pieces of ‘balut’ the customer bought from him at the plaza.

It was only the day after that he realized he was paid with play money.

“Binigay niya P1,000. Sabi ko, baka peke ito… sabi niya, hindi po. Sinuklian ko siya at kinabukasan ko nalaman na peke pala,” Soriano said.

Soriano said what happened was painful because he relies on his income for his family’s provisions and for his medicines. He has eight children.

“Nanghinayang talaga ako pero wala ako magawa. Kahit magalit ako, wala na ako magawa. Basta hindi ako nagloko; sila ang nagloko sa akin,” he said.

The police said it is possible that whoever duped Soriano may be targeting senior citizens.

“Hinihiling natin sa ating mga kababayan na maging mapagmatyag at  tignan mabuti ang nakapaligid na tao, kung may kahina-hinala na malapit sayo ay huwag mag-atubili na pumunta sa ating himpilan,” PCpt. Renan dela Cruz, public information officer of the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office, said.