Looking for love in the Philippines might as well be compared to getting into the lion’s den. The Philippines has been one of the highest countries for internet romance scam and marriage fraud for over a decade – up there with Russia, Malaysia, Nigeria and others.  According to the National Consumer League, romance fraud was the costliest type of fraud in 2016, costing victims an average of two thousand dollars per victim. And the Philippines remains a major contributor to these figures.

Thousands of people use dating sites every day to meet and find love. You may even know couples who were successful and  now in successful relationships that started online. So the picture is not always dark, but given the increased risks in the Philippines, this is a high risk game.  Knowing the red flags and the importance of professional verification is key to success.

Understand the risk

The first step into avoiding being a victim is to understand the risk, to acknowledge that love fraud exists in enormous proportions in the Philippines, and that you can be a victim too. Once this fact is accepted, people can take preventive measures instead of living in the denial that it will never happen to them. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, online romance scams account for higher financial losses than any other internet-based crime. It’s not uncommon for victims to lose tens of thousands of dollars, and this happens to thousands of people every year, so stay humble and know that you might not necessarily be the one who will outsmart the criminals.

Hire professional help

It is also important to understand that there is no formula that will let you know for sure if you are being used for your money, so the help of a professional is essential into finding out data that can throw some light. Every case is different, and every scammer has his or her own way of committing crime. This means that every case should be studied individually and in a professional way.

Professional investigators in the Philippines have years of experience and training, access to resources and tools, they speak the language, are on the ground where you need them, and they have access to local and government records.  Without them, you are flying blind.  Get professional help with a discreet background check investigation, or be prepared to pay the consequences if things go bad.

There are some common red flags that you should watch out for too. Be wary if the person you met is speeding things up, or requesting for financial assistance. Money requests are not uncommon in relationships between people from very different backgrounds and financial status (like those involving people from developed countries and developing countries like the Philippines).

A dating background check investigation is a good start if you want to know if the person you have been communicating with is really who she claims to be, and if there are any suspicious things about her past (marriage records, or criminal records).   If everything seems to be fine, or you have met the subject in person, you might want to continue with a deeper investigation, like surveillance in the Philippines. This kind of investigation will provide more in depth information and evidence, such as living situation, activity, relationships, character and reputation, time-date stamp photos, and more.

Stay skeptical

Some people do not have a history of scam, but it doesn’t mean they won’t try it in the future.  Some people are who they claim to be, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to marry you for your money or to get a visa to live in your country!  Remain skeptical.  Bbeing too confident might get you in trouble. Prevention and clear evidence will always be the best keys to avoid victim a victim.

Have you met someone in the Philippines?  Contact us today for a free quote.

C. Wright
© 2017 Philippine PI

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