GUARD your heart.
As people gear up for Valentine’s Day on Wednesday, the Philippine National Police offered a piece of advice to avoid falling for love scams.
“As we celebrate the month of February, dedicated to love, it is crucial to remain vigilant in the realm of cybercrime and protect ourselves and our loved ones from falling victim to love scams,” PNP chief Police General Benjamin Acorda Jr. said at a press briefing on Monday.
How can one stay away from love scammers? Scam Watch Philippines, a citizen group, has released these warning signs:
Sad Boi, Sad Gurl
-has a sad life story
-will appeal to pity
-will borrow money
The Seducer
-super attractive profile picture
-shares and asks private information
-initiates talks in sexual tone
-asks for nude photos (for blackmail)
The Investor
-usually attractive foreigners
-shares mega lifestyle photos
-responds like robots
-charms you to invest in forex or cryptocurrency
The Servicemen
-middle-aged foreigners
-military personnel assigned in Asia or Middle East
-looking for life-long partner
-targets middle-aged women
-asks for monetary assistance
The Escort
-ultra-attractive profile picture
-engages in open-minded talks
-sends sexy or even nude pictures
-asks for money before meeting up
The Predator
-matured men
-targets young women
-sends money
-requests discretion
-asks for nude pictures
-insists on meeting up
The Blackmailer
-gets your trust
-professes his deep love
-asks for sexy or nude pictures
-threatens to send photos to friends
-asks you to pay
The Slow Burn
-plays the long game
-engages in seemingly harmless conversation
-shares personal anecdotes
-expresses genuine interest
-builds trust
-doesn’t want to meet up
-manipulates victims easily later
-asks for money
It urged the public to report online scams by calling the Inter-Agency Response Center (I-ARC) Hotline 1326.
