Text Scam targets OFWs

To our fellow OFWs and Kabayans out there, please be warned. 

Local news of Kuwait Times reported that three Filipinas have turned out to be the latest victims of a text scam which is victimizing the Filipino community in Kuwait with the use of their Philippine-based roaming mobile phone numbers.

The modus operandi is that the scammer will send you a text message claiming that you’ve won a raffle and then once you show interest they will ask you to send money to account name & number that they will provide so they start the process of claiming the prize. The text scam has duped countless Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) worldwide.

We got a message from the Philippines from a certain Rod J. Davis saying that we had won 1.4 million Pesos (about $35,000) in an electronic raffle from the Philippine Central Bank. The message said the raffle was part of a charity raffle draw," Poras said adding that three of them agreed to equally divide the money they had won, since three of them shared the roaming mobile phone. "We bought the mobile and the roaming number together, so we decided that we would split the prize money of 1.4 million Peso
s in three," she added.

The message advised us to contact Edwina Bailon Alejar to get our winnings and we contacted her and she informed us to provide her with our personal contact details. In order to process the winning money, we had to immediately send 15,000 pesos ($375) to them for the processing fee. We quickly sent the money and waited for a reply, but we never got one and their mobile has been unreachable ever since," Ankul said.

Read the full report of Overseas Filipinos hit by text scam here.

This kind of modus operandi is not new scheme. Since I started using the technology of mobile I have been receiving bunch of text messages similar to this one.  I just ignore them everytime I receive one.  The basic question is how could I win a raffle that I never join? The next thing that will let you think it further is when the man behind is asking you money to process the prize. 

Let just all be vigilant in reacting for the unsolicated messages.  Don’t let that "winning emotions" affects your decision. 

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