OFW Relatives: Beware of Swindlers New Modus Operandi

Relatives of OFWs from Gulf State are the target victims of swindlers identifying themselves as “Philippine Ambassador to Dubai” and a “doctor” through a mobile phone call then after sending the money, their number will become inaccessible.

Mary Jane Haro Tibi, 34, wife of OFW, residence of UNOR-Ville, in the village of Mansilingan, Bacolod City has lost 170,000 pesos to two swindlers.

Tibi said that on Tuesday, about 10a.m, she received a call from a man who identified himself as “William Golez, the Philippine Ambassador to Dubai” telling her that her husband, who works in Dubai, had stabbed his fellow employee and had been wounded himself.

After few minutes, she received call from another man identifying himself as “Dr. Zuñiga” with mobile number 09187168675. The con man told her that her husband had sneaked back to the Philippines and was under his treatment.

She said that the caller asked for P165,000 to cover her husband’s surgical expenses. She was instructed to deposit P60,000 to the ATM account of "Teresita Suniga," and P75,000 and P35,000 to "Fernando Soriano Ocampo" of Imus, Cavite through Western Union.

On the same day, after she had deposited the money, her father-in-law informed her that her husband is in good condition and had not been involved in any incident contrary to the claims of the two con men.

Amabelle Aloro Lacson, 47, wife of a seaman, also from Bacolod, City residing in Acacia Road, Villa Angela also received a call from a con identifying himself as “Ambassador Golez,” and informed her that her husband has killed his fellow worker.

On the same day, Annabelle received another call from a man who introduced himself as “Dr. Fred Oribe,” of Puerto Princesa, Palawan and told her that her husband was under his treatment. And asked for P50,000 to finance the operation of her husband, prompting her to send an initial amount of P24,000 to the account of "Pete Lowell Stone" of Dasmariñas, Cavite.

After she has deposited the money she contacted the mobile number of Oribe, and, to her surprise, his number could not be reached. She then called her husband only to find out that she has been swindled because everything that she heard from the two callers was nothing but lie.

Another 63-year old woman also lost P69,850 in cash to two persons who identified themselves as a “doctor” and a “pilot.”

On June 3, the callers informed her that her daughter working at the Los Angeles Medical Center in California, USA had been involved in a commotion and had killed her nurse supervisor. After she deposited the money, then found out that the story was false and she has been swindled.

Another case of swindling using the same modus operandi happened in Sorsogon province. The two mothers of OFWs, a retired employee of the Sorsogon Provincial Hospital, a hospital guard and a retired teacher, entrust their money to con men.

This article was first published in www.ofwguide.com on July 15, 2006