Beware the latest “Vape Modus”

IF you frequent the U-Belt area, it’s best to learn about the latest “vape modus” in case you become a victim of it. 

In this new modus, a person usually described to be male, “singkit,” English-speaking, and around 5’6 in height, will bump into you, and then pretend that you caused him to drop his vape.

 He will then approach you after this happens to tap you on the shoulder, explaining that his vape costs around PHP 2, 500, and is a limited edition device newly bought from Greenhills. 

He might also start shaking the vape and say that there’s something shaking inside to further prove that you have “broken” his vape. 

Throughout this exchange, the man may even threaten to bring you to the barangay hall to have your problem solved or guilt-trip you into thinking that what happened was your fault, all so you can give him the PHP 2, 500.

This hasn’t just happened around U-Belt, of course. Others have reported cases of it at SM San Lazaro, España, as well as in different areas of Taft. 

If you encounter someone who starts calling you out, saying that you’ve broken their vape even though all you did was brush past them as you walked by, here are some things you can do to prove that they’re scamming you.

What to do

In situations like these, the best thing to do is keep your head down and just keep walking. These scammers hope that you’ll react, particularly if they start shouting and making a scene, so don’t give them the satisfaction. 

Continue to ignore them until you safely get away or until you find a place to stay, and then they will leave you alone.

If you’re in a crowded place, something you can do is call as much attention to the situation as possible. Start asking him questions: How did you “break” his device? Does he have proof that you broke it? Does he have proof that it actually is PHP 2, 500? 

With scams like these, they often hope that you’ll act out of confusion or fear, and give them the money they’re asking for. Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself or to defend yourself. 

If they ask you to take the problem to the barangay, then gladly oblige. 

If you don’t feel comfortable confronting them head-on, you can also ask for help either from people passing by you or from the nearest authority figure you can find. 

When they realize that you’re no longer on your own, and they can’t bully you into doing what they want, there’s a much bigger chance that they’ll leave you alone. 

If they start making a scene, then simply do the same. Don’t let them bully you into getting what they want, especially if you know that you didn’t do anything wrong.