Am I being targeted for a scam attack?

[Pete67]

Hi there, I got an email from my friend in Davao City asking sheepishly if I could help her with a small loan, to provide capital for a small business venture. She was looking for paid employment and when I suggested agencies she told me that she was offered some jobs but they weren't a good fit because she was at University, but I thought she said earlier she had left for a while to earn some money....
Alarm bells are ringing now, I am very tempted to disconnect from her, but concerned about maybe losing a friend in genuine need, but maybe she is not in so much need that she turned down some jobs.
Difficult to see things from an outsider's point of view, what do other people think? loneliness can make one a bit vulnerable, and I would consider myself to have a bit of street smarts, sometimes learned through experience, perhaps like this one....

[bob2009]

How long you known her for ?

Have you met her in real life ?

How much she asking for ?

You got to give us some more details.

[South-east boy]

How long have you known her? Have you met her?

edit: (sorry for repeat questions, but the above post wasn't there when I started typing!)

[Pete67]

I've only been in email contact, never met either here or in Philipines, she is asking for 100 euros (ie 99.99 pounds...) and I have only known her for about a month...

[triple5]

Most will tell you on here to never send money before you've met a girl. It may not be a scam, who knows with that 100 quid she may create a successful business and pay you back. Doubtful though. A month isn't very long, if I were you I'd keep searching, keep your options open.

[Pete67]

Good advice, thanks, I think I will definitely not send any money but will keep emails open and see what response there is, 100 is a lot of money to me at the moment anyway..

[lavander]

I've only been in email contact, never met either here or in Philipines, she is asking for 100 euros (ie 99.99 pounds...) and I have only known her for about a month...

if possible,try not to indulge any monetary in the builds up of friendship that you intent to...specially in the early stage as you mentioned..

but then again, if you feel the need is real and the person intentions is sincere then go ahead...i do believed a good karma is always waiting somewhere around. good luck!:D

irene

[IainBusby]

I've only been in email contact, never met either here or in Philipines, she is asking for 100 euros (ie 99.99 pounds...) and I have only known her for about a month...

The usual advice is never send money to a girl you have never actually met. In this case you've only known her by email for a month and already she is asking you for money. They say that there is one born every minute and I really hope your not one of them.

[aromulus]

I've only been in email contact, never met either here or in Philipines, she is asking for 100 euros (ie 99.99 pounds...) and I have only known her for about a month...

This is definitively the start of a beautiful and meaningful scam.....:omg:

[Sophie]

I've only been in email contact, never met either here or in Philipines, she is asking for 100 euros (ie 99.99 pounds...) and I have only known her for about a month...

You've only known her online for a month, never met her in person and she's already asking for money? not a good sign pete....
As what triple5 just said, keep your options open, i'm sure you'll find someone better and with good intentions....

[IanB]

Inconsistencies in her background may be a big warning sign. Also the small sum involved sounds odd for starting a business - are you sure there aren't some noughts missing? :-)

Having said that, people distort their stories for good reason sometimes. And she may need the money for some more serious purpose such as to pay off a debt that is putting her in danger.

Others will say that if she is lying you should run a mile. But it is a sad fact for Philippine women, and indeed women generally, that experience tells them that men are looking for "the perfect woman" and we live in a very imperfect world. Many, many, men dump their girlfriends even after many years if they feel their girlfriends life doesn't meet their expectations.

Having said all of that, refusing now, and providing a good and polite reason, will flush out an interesting reaction that will help you to find out a lot more about her. Better still, of course, to meet her face to face asap.

[Dedworth]

A polite refusal and add her address to the Junk eMail filter

[Tawi2]

approx 7500 pesos to start a biz :Erm:stranger things have happened I suppose :Erm:if she really is down on her luck its only a hundred quid,I have never asked anyone for a loan of money in my life except a mortgage,never even had an overdraft facility,but I have seen desperation in peoples eyes and realise that we are never going to starve in this country,and I have been abroad with no return ticket and £20 quid in my pocket so I can always empathise,if it was the difference between hunger and a fully stomach I would give it :)Ask her whats the business :)

[bornatbirth]

Hi there, I got an email from my friend in Davao City asking sheepishly if I could help her with a small loan, to provide capital for a small business venture. She was looking for paid employment and when I suggested agencies she told me that she was offered some jobs but they weren't a good fit because she was at University, but I thought she said earlier she had left for a while to earn some money....
Alarm bells are ringing now, I am very tempted to disconnect from her, but concerned about maybe losing a friend in genuine need, but maybe she is not in so much need that she turned down some jobs.
Difficult to see things from an outsider's point of view, what do other people think? loneliness can make one a bit vulnerable, and I would consider myself to have a bit of street smarts, sometimes learned through experience, perhaps like this one....

oh its you i have been emailing :Erm:

now im busted :D

btw i wouldnt bother keeping contact :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Dedworth]

oh its you i have been emailing :Erm:

now im busted :D

btw i wouldnt bother keeping contact :xxgrinning--00xx3:


:laugher:

[Pete67]

approx 7500 pesos to start a biz :Erm:stranger things have happened I suppose :Erm:if she really is down on her luck its only a hundred quid,I have never asked anyone for a loan of money in my life except a mortgage,never even had an overdraft facility,but I have seen desperation in peoples eyes and realise that we are never going to starve in this country,and I have been abroad with no return ticket and £20 quid in my pocket so I can always empathise,if it was the difference between hunger and a fully stomach I would give it :)Ask her whats the business :)

El Coolio, she actually said 30,000 peso/100 euros so if I sign off 30,000 pesos it's going to actually be about, 'old on a min, something like 350gbp? When she said about 100 euro?
I have not got a problem about being a tourist in a poor country being lifted for a bit of cash, not much to me and if it means a difference between a full stomach and actually starving then good luck. I have been to rural Mexico and got stylishly "ripped off" for a quite a few USD dollars that meant not very much to me, and I still can't u nderstand how they did it, but but no resentment at all.

[Tawi2]

She could actually start a small biz in dabaw with 30,000 :)

[keithAngel]

You said ubove that 100 was a lot to you right now..................


believe me its gonna get costlier :omg:

[bornatbirth]

approx 7500 pesos to start a biz :Erm:stranger things have happened I suppose :Erm:if she really is down on her luck its only a hundred quid,I have never asked anyone for a loan of money in my life except a mortgage,never even had an overdraft facility,but I have seen desperation in peoples eyes and realise that we are never going to starve in this country,and I have been abroad with no return ticket and £20 quid in my pocket so I can always empathise,if it was the difference between hunger and a fully stomach I would give it :)Ask her whats the business *:)

why dont you let tawi exchange emails with her :Erm:

*scamming by asking for money :doh

[Tawi2]

Because I have never exchanged e-mails with random or strange ladies online,not my style,just saying if a friend asked for £100 thats cool with me,I have given much more,but my defenition of a friend might differ from some :) Nothing wrong with giving a hand to someone who is hungry or genuinely down on their luck :)

[Northerner]

Pete,

The fact that you feel it important enough to raise it on this forum tells me you sense a scam.. Therefore, trust your instincts and keep away from western union..

[South-east boy]

I'm a bit confused as 30,000 Pesos is a totally different amount to 100 Euros as 30,000 pesos is £428-£483 depending on the current exchange rate.

I had someone I chatted with at the beginning of the year ask for money in our first chat. She said it was for her mobile phone bill and what she asked for wasn't much, but it was the fact that she had asked for money in our first ever chat and that she wasn't working, but hadn't done anything about it. She said she wanted to work in restaurant or hotel management (or something similar) but hadn't done anything about enquiring if any local places had any vacancies or not. Surely if you were out of work and needing money that would be the first thing that you would do? I guess some of these scammers can make enough to live on just by scamming a few guys for small amounts.

[bob2009]

My advice, is go out there and get entangled.

Then don't worry you ll be kept plenty busy enough for requests of money from all quarters.

[bornatbirth]

I'm a bit confused as 30,000 Pesos is a totally different amount to 100 Euros as 30,000 pesos is £428-£483 depending on the current exchange rate.

I had someone I chatted with at the beginning of the year ask for money in our first chat. She said it was for her mobile phone bill and what she asked for wasn't much, but it was the fact that she had asked for money in our first ever chat and that she wasn't working, but hadn't done anything about it. She said she wanted to work in restaurant or hotel management (or something similar) but hadn't done anything about enquiring if any local places had any vacancies or not. Surely if you were out of work and needing money that would be the first thing that you would do? I guess some of these scammers can make enough to live on just by scamming a few guys for small amounts.

exactly,and they chat on ym with you and all the other suckers in the internet cafe :bigcry:

[Bluebirdjones]

Do I believe that you’re being scammed ? …… no, not really

Do I believe that you’d be naive and foolish to give her the money ? …. Yes.

The basic definition of a scammer is: obtaining money by means of deception including fake personalities, fake photos, non-existent addresses and phone numbers, forged documents etc etc.

She has essentially offered you a business opportunity, ie a loan against setting up a business. Will she use the money for that ? … will you eventually get a return on/of your money ? …. who knows.

But at least she is being upfront about it.
At least she didn’t trot out the … “my sister is ill in hospital and I need to buy medicine”… “I got robbed on the way to the mall”…stories.

You’ve “known” her (by e-mail, txt, cam etc) for about a month.
If someone you met a month ago in a pub in the UK had asked for a loan to set up a business, I already know your response/reply.
So why treat this differently ?

Scam ? …. No.
Praying on your potential foolishness……….. yes.

[Arthur Little]

You’ve “known” her (by e-mail, txt, cam etc) for about a month.
If someone you met a month ago in a pub in the UK had asked for a loan to set up a business, I already know your response/reply.
So why treat this differently ?

Scam ? …. No.
Praying on your potential foolishness……….. yes.

Pete ... there's plenty of 'food for thought' here. :rolleyes: Put in perspective, it seems highly probable that such requests will continue; therefore, I hope and pray you will not fall victim to a "bird of prey"!

[Pete67]

Hi Guys, it's really great to such honest guidance, naive/foolish enough to send something? yes, I agree but don't realistically expect to get any return, and she never gave me any hard luck stories as such, I have told her some hardship stuff myself.
Ok - what do people think of this approach -
I send 20 as a xmas present, that way I can avoid getting entangled. She has said a lot of stuff that has helped me get in touch with some feelings long forgotten, which would probably cost 100s in counselling, even if it did work, so from that perspective it's quite cheap..
And as a gift I won't have any worries about not being paid back.
And if her birthday turns out to be mid january I'll think again :)
Thanks again,

[Tawi2]

Thats cool Pete,as Bluebird said she hasnt tried to scam you,didnt fabricate some sort of complex hard-luck story that snowballs and needs more and more cash,she was honest with you,you enjoyed chatting,its symbiotic,you both got something so no harm done :)and you know something?Sometimes it really is better to give than receive,I dont want to say this in case BAB asks for some cash:icon_lol:but I always feel good helping someone out,it boomerangs back in the form of karma somewhere along the line :)

[bob2009]

Hang on she s saved you 100s in counselling fees ?

Sounds like she s putting a lot of work into this.

[fred]

And as a gift I won't have any worries about not being paid back. Thats how you should view any money that you part with here in the P.I....
Loan usually means gift..... in disguise!
Lots of ever decreasing business opportunities here with 100 Pounds though...

[Pete67]

Thats cool Pete,as Bluebird said she hasnt tried to scam you,didnt fabricate some sort of complex hard-luck story that snowballs and needs more and more cash,she was honest with you,you enjoyed chatting,its symbiotic,you both got something so no harm done :)and you know something?Sometimes it really is better to give than receive,I dont want to say this in case BAB asks for some cash:icon_lol:but I always feel good helping someone out,it boomerangs back in the form of karma somewhere along the line :)

Well put Tawi2, and thanks for the rep:xxgrinning--00xx3:
Everything's recorded in the Akashic Records so I think a little xmas gift is called for...
Good qoute I heard once was "do someone a good turn, but if they find out about it then it doesn't count"

[bornatbirth]

are you aware of the amount of filipinos needing financial help?

if she or he is real :Erm: as you have only exchanged emails,so you have no way of knowing,why do you think by helping them is going to do you any good.

by all means send them the loan and ask for it back in 6 months,better still let tawi loan them the money and report back in 6 months with your money returned.

if scammers asking for money dont get it by saying they need help for doctors bills etc....do you think they dont try by saying something else :Erm:

i met a girl in the chat room at filipina heart and within 5 mins asked for $300 a month but first asked if i wanted to meet next month for sex,what do you think i did?.....i married her of course :icon_lol:....not really but while i chatted to her another girl came into the chat room and told me that "she loved me" :omg:....am i a sex machine or cash machine :Erm:

until you meet a filipina and your both bf/gf never give money!...but then agree what you will give to support each other :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Tawi2]

BAB you cynical masculine silver-tongued lady magnet you:icon_lol: swim in the ocean with sharks expect to get bitten,go into Filipina filled chatrooms looking for whatever expect to get bitten also,not exactly rocket science,lesson learnt? Avoid shark filled oceans and pinay-scammer hunting grounds :)Got to admitt though I am getting around a thousand quid back at the weekend from a guy here I loaned it to,sending to to pinas next week for a couple of mates,its only money,having it doesnt make you a happier person,not at all,always chasing that elusive extra cash is actually pretty soul destroying :)Better add I havent more money than sense,its actually the other way around otherwise I wouldnt have any money to begin with,but when I was skint I was helped in the past,now I am flush my turn to dish it out,easy philosophy.

[tuft249]

if you dont send the money &she keeps in touch then you know maybe she is genuine esp if she interested in you meeting .i sent money to a girl without ever meeting her but many times i thought of ending the communication & i didnt send till along time in to the friendship and only small amounts..its difficult to know what to do you just got to be careful. good luck.

[Pete67]

Just got an email from her with address and full name, as Tawi says, it's only money and one small amount makes no difference to me, it's only what I used to spend on the horses, until I gave it up. And I never got much back from the bookies so I am used to saying goodbye to this amount, I am sure she will make better use of it than me. :40__s:

[South-east boy]

Have you seen many photos of her and more so, have you seen her on webcam? A lot of people who aren't genuine & try to scam people use photos of other people + won't chat on webcam (some are even guys mascerading as women!). I'd feel a bit less worried with sending anything to someone that I'vd chatted to on webcam and seen many photos of rather than someone who I haven't. I still wouldn't send and largish amounts of money to someone that I'd known for such a short time though.

But if you only send a small amount or even nothing, like tuft says, if she sticks around and carries on being as friendly without giving any warning signs or asking for much more, then she is more likely to be genuine.

[bob2009]

Thats how you should view any money that you part with here in the P.I....
Loan usually means gift..... in disguise!
Lots of ever decreasing business opportunities here with 100 Pounds though...

Loan always means gift..... the disguise is purely a asian lingual concession for face saving purposes.

Really, it is better for all parties concerned if you disabuse yourself of the notion that any woman you meet online who wants to borrow money off you is going to pay you back.

If you want a relationship, abandon all hope on the internet and fly out there. Its cheap to go. If you cant afford the airfare, you ll have difficulty maintaining a filipina too. :bigcry:

[triple5]

Pete, you said a 100 quid was a lot to you at the moment, if that's the case save your cash, even 20 quid, put it towards the airfare out there. If you're serious about having a filipina gf get yourself out there asap.

[Tawi2]

Farallon islands or Dyer island have big resident populations of great whites who grow corpulent feeding on the resident sea-lion colonies,similar analogy to Pinay chatrooms,avoid them like a hospital swine flu ward,its true that some scammers grow fat and idle on the benevolance and largesse of some misguided western guys,if you want to meet a woman,and it really has to be a pinay,book a ticket,or meet them here in the UK,theres a pinay-uk dating agency or meeting group in north london,if its still running :Erm:

[bob2009]

Farallon islands or Dyer island have big resident populations of great whites who grow corpulent feeding on the resident sea-lion colonies,similar analogy to Pinay chatrooms,avoid them like a hospital swine flu ward,its true that some scammers grow fat and idle on the benevolance and largesse of some misguided western guys,if you want to meet a woman,and it really has to be a pinay,book a ticket,or meet them here in the UK,theres a pinay-uk dating agency or meeting group in north london,if its still running :Erm:

Ha ha, I was just thinking if you rewrote it as,

'The phillipine islands have a big resident population of great whites who grow corpulent feeding on the resident san migs and lechon.......'

[Tawi2]

Ha ha, I was just thinking if you rewrote it as,

'The phillipine islands have a big resident population of great whites who grow corpulent feeding on the resident san migs and lechon.......'
Many a true word has been said in jest :icon_lol:Thank god I am skinny as a teetotal islamic whippet :icon_lol:

[Sim11UK]

Have you seen many photos of her and more so, have you seen her on webcam? A lot of people who aren't genuine & try to scam people use photos of other people

This is a good point, you could be talking to a burly jeepney driver.
If you only have email contact, it could be anyone?

Really, you are going against all advice normally given on this forum, which is NEVER give money to someone you haven't met.
You contradict yourself, by saying you wont send any, then coming around to the idea, that you will send a little, as you wont miss it.

This is exactly how scammers work & why they are so prevalent. :NoNo:

Don't do it....stay in contact & let things develop naturally.

Have you any plans to visit the Philippines?

[Tawi2]

Flirtatious chats to a mystery burly hirsute jeepney driver:yikes:Thats my hidden fantasy Sim,as long as he allows me to call him susan :icon_lol:

[Sim11UK]

Flirtatious chats to a mystery burly hirsute jeepney driver:yikes:Thats my hidden fantasy Sim,as long as he allows me to call him susan :icon_lol:

That's my fantasy too, but I call him Wendy :icon_lol:

[Northerner]

Flirtatious chats to a mystery burly hirsute jeepney driver:yikes:Thats my hidden fantasy Sim,as long as he allows me to call him susan :icon_lol:

So long as you send him a few thousand pesos every month, I am sure he will allow you to call him whatever you like.. :icon_lol:

[Tawi2]

So long as you send him a few thousand pesos every month, I am sure he will allow you to call him whatever you like.. :icon_lol:
Amen to that,I pay the piper I call the tune :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Arthur Little]

Have you any plans to visit the Philippines?

Another :gp: worthy of consideration! If you've ALREADY "donated" the wherewithal, you could tell her you're PLANNING to visit the Phils ... ostensibly for the purpose of the two of you meeting up, but more importantly, to sound out the logic of her proposed "business venture". At least then, you'll be better able to guage her reaction ... :cwm25: whenever the subject of your 'investment' is brought up in [casual] conversation.

[Arthur Little]

Equally ... if the money *HASN'T already gone (which, I HOPE, is the case!) then I suggest you leave it at *THAT. By all means continue to communicate with each other as normal. But, by the same token, pay specific attention to how she responds to the polite ... but firm ... rejoinder "Sorry, no can do!" :NoNo:

[whiteraven]

Equally ... if the money *HASN'T already gone (which, I HOPE, is the case!) then I suggest you leave it at *THAT. By all means continue to communicate with each other as normal. But, by the same token, pay specific attention to how she responds to the polite ... but firm ... rejoinder "Sorry, no can do!" :NoNo:

:iagree: if this is a scam either she will not continue with this relationship as such or the reasons for needing your money will become to sound more desperate.

[EdwardB]

Good advice, thanks, I think I will definitely not send any money but will keep emails open and see what response there is, 100 is a lot of money to me at the moment anyway..

£100 in Davao is an absolute fortune. It doesn't just buy the light blue ones on the Monopoly board it buys the actual property equivalent in Davao. Average monthly family income in RP is about £192. Remember two things; firstly how big RP families are; secondly wealth is hugely skewed I'd estimate over 80% & possibly 90 % of families have a monthly income well below £100. And Davao is way below the RP average.

If you get asked to help create a business and you are the main investor ask for a Business Plan. LOL

I'd buy the way the request was made (as others have noted) & the circumstances you describe. But are you sure you were asked for €'s?! Davao is pesos or US$'s I doubt if a Euro has ever been seen even in the top hotels (Well there is only one of them in any case!!).

I presume you have made your decision by now - apologies for coming in late, but this thread really made me smile.

[aromulus]

I've only been in email contact, never met either here or in Philipines, she is asking for 100 euros (ie 99.99 pounds...) and I have only known her for about a month...


Strange request....... :Erm:

Maybe she has been in touch with Europeans, but doesn't realize that the Uk, although being in Europe of sorts, hasn't adopted the currency...:cwm24:

[Dedworth]

Strange request....... :Erm:

Maybe she has been in touch with Europeans, but doesn't realize that the Uk, although being in Europe of sorts, hasn't adopted the currency...:cwm24:


Standard email scam template ?

[Pete67]

Strange request....... :Erm:

Maybe she has been in touch with Europeans, but doesn't realize that the Uk, although being in Europe of sorts, hasn't adopted the currency...:cwm24:

Ah yes, I work in finance industry and we get loads of wrong transactions because a lot of agents in India are told that we have euros, when we tell them we are still sterling the reply is "my training manual says UK is euros now"
Anyhow, I did send my ladyfriend 20.00gbp, she has never asked for any more, or hinted that she needed it, although probably much much more than me.

Thanks for the advice everyone...

[Arthur Little]

:omg:....am i a sex machine or cash machine :Erm:

:Erm: ... Well YOU'LL know the answer to THAT, my friend! :D

[SteveTalaga]

Why is it that we can't talk about meeting a girl (online or face to face), starting a friendship, developing a relationship etc without the subject of money always coming up? Wouldn't it be nice, just for once, to feel that the friendship really was just that and nothing to do with funding.

[Sim11UK]

Why is it that we can't talk about meeting a girl (online or face to face), starting a friendship, developing a relationship etc without the subject of money always coming up? Wouldn't it be nice, just for once, to feel that the friendship really was just that and nothing to do with funding.

Well, you'll be pleased to hear, all those in succesful relationships, are still here, exactly for this reason, nothing was ever asked. :)

[aromulus]

a lot of agents in India are told that we have euros, when we tell them we are still sterling the reply is "my training manual says UK is euros now"
...


Do they know something that only our politicians know...???:Erm:

[SteveTalaga]

Well, you'll be pleased to hear, all those in succesful relationships, are still here, exactly for this reason, nothing was ever asked. :)You guys are all very lucky. Congratulations and treasure your partners.

[Pete67]

Do they know something that only our politicians know...???:Erm:

The manual is apparently dated 2011.......

[aromulus]

The manual is apparently dated 2011.......

Sounds like as if the deal with Europe is done and dusted, then....:omg:

Dammit...:cwm23: