The cases of online romance scams from the Philippines have been increasing every year despite the warnings of the police, non-profit organizations and the media. Why do people still fall for this fraud? One of the reasons is the criminals conducting dating fraud remain free and unpunished.  Arrests of these criminals are, unfortunately, not very common in the Philippines.

Philippine PI™ has been working over the past decade helping people avoid scams and fraud. A professional background check investigation in the Philippines prevents a potential victim from becoming one, because verifying the facts and getting clear evidence is the only way to know if someone is deceiving you. People can find out if their online partners are lying about their identity or living situation in the early stages of the relationship. Don’t wait until the damage is done, or your bank accounts are drained.  Get clear evidence early in the relationship to be safe.

What happens to those who have  already been scammed?

Unfortunately, people seek professional help when it is already too late. They have been convinced for months or years that they are in a real romantic relationship and have invested a lot of money and time in making it work. The love story starts turning dark when a fair amount of money is involved and victims realize that there are many things that are not adding up. By that time, friends and family of the victim all know about the existence of that special someone in the Philippines. Some of those friends and relatives celebrate the love story. Others have been skeptical from the beginning and have been trying to warn the victim.   The truth can be very hard to find on your own.

After conducting a background check investigation or surveillance investigation in the Philippines, there is no way to deny the undeniable.  The evidence is clear.  The evidence proves that the victim has been deceived, and in most cases the victim will keep this part of the story for their own.   If the subject is verified, clients can move on knowing the truth, and make an informed decision.

Why are victims not reporting the fraud?

Victims are too often too embarrassed to accept what happened. How can anyone tell their family or the police that they have been taken for a ride? Being vulnerable is nothing to be ashamed of, and romance scammers in the Philippines can outsmart anyone because they have been doing it for years! They have the experience, the resources and the network needed to trick anyone. But most importantly, law enforcement will not judge anyone for falling victim.   Another reason victims don’t report the fraud is that they know that there is very little that can be done.  Governments won’t help.

Reporting the crime and scam

Philippine PI is the first step in your effort to stop romance fraud from happening to you. It means prevention. But for those who already fell victim reporting to the authorities is mandatory. Even though scammers are good at hiding their tracks, the evidence that a victim can provide to the authorities will help them build the cases and eventually apprehend the criminals responsible. If the fraudsters remain unpunished, this problem will see no end.   Prevention is key, and reporting is important.

Thousands of people are going through the same situation, so if you have been a victim do not feel too embarrassed to report it. In the U.S., the Internet Crime Complaint Center has an active platform to report these cases. Australia has also a form available for easy reporting an online crime.  Better yet, contact your embassy or consulate in Manila for advice on reporting crime and fraud to local law enforcement, and ask your country representative what can be done to help.

C. Wright
© 2018 Philippine PI

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