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Scam Alerts

Text Scam Warning

ABM-8-2005 – The Philippine Embassy in Ottawa would like to warn the public about the so-called “text scam” whereby the victim is informed through short messaging service or “text” that he won millions of pesos in a raffle draw purportedly sponsored by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), or other institutions.

The swindlers who use fictitious names or pose as government officials would try to get their victim to remit money to the swindlers or to deposit it in designated bank accounts, supposedly for the payment of tax and other fees, as a precondition to getting the alleged prize.  Once the victim remits or deposits the money, the swindlers immediately get the same, and the victim will no longer hear from the swindlers again.

Those who receive such text messages or have been victimized by this fraud are advised to immediately report the matter to the Anti-Money Laundering Council Secretariat, 5th floor, EDPC Building, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complez, Manila, Philippines, with telephone numbers 302-3982 and 524-7011 local 2372.

02:30 PM

Telephone Scams

Press Release No. ABM-15-2005 The Embassy of the Philippines in Ottawa would like to warn all our kababayans concerning a phone scam victimizing families of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the Philippines.

Perpetrators of the scam operate in the following fashion:


  • The scam artist makes a telephone call to a relative of an OFW in the Philippines.

  • The bogus caller identifies himself as supposedly a high-ranking Filipino diplomat or an officer at one of the foreign Embassy in the Philippines.


  • The caller concocts a tale making it appear that the OFW abroad is in distress, e.g. the OFW has been involved in a crime, was wounded, and successfully airlifted to a certain province in the Philippines.


  • With the connivance of another scam partner, the callers proceed to convince the relative of the OFW that money is immediately needed for the urgent medical treatment of the OFW (the reasons for the immediate need of money could vary) detailing the manner for the transfer of money.


  • Another modus operandi employed by the scam perpetrators is to ask for the bank account of the victim for a variety of fabricated reasons.

The Embassy would like to advise our kababayans to be alert on the said scam and report the same to the Embassy at telephone number 613-233-1121; facsimile number 613-233-4165 and e-mail address should a similar incident occur to them.

( originally posted on April 12th 2005 )


02:19 PM