BOC: Internet love scam used for smuggling

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY , Philippines  – If the love you found on the web is too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Region 10 yesterday warned the public against the “internet love scam,” a scheme where a supposed romantic bond between a Filipina and a male foreigner that developed through chats on social media resulted in swindling.

Roswald Joseph Pague, deputy customs collector and BOC Region 10 chief of staff, said single or divorced foreigners, mostly Caucasians, are usually involved in the scam.

A few weeks into their relationship, the foreigner would promise to send his Filipina girlfriend gadgets and other imported items. She would receive a notice from a courier company informing her that her package had arrived and that she must pay a certain amount so she could receive it.

This was what happened to Jennylyn (not her real name), a 32-year-old resident of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. She met an American soldier through a social networking site and began a romantic relationship with him.

Jennylyn was notified by a cargo firm that the items sent by her boyfriend in Florida had arrived.

Her American boyfriend supposedly sent her an Apple laptop, iPad tablet, cellphone, a box of sea salt chocolates, a Louise Vuitton handbag, two bottles of Chanel perfume and a bouquet of roses.  

“Madam your package arrived today. When goods are shipped, you are liable to pay any inbound duties and taxes which your local customs authority deems appropriate,” read a part of an email sent to her on June 21.

The cargo firm said she had to pay P18,300 to a personal account in a private bank to refund the firm for shouldering the duties and taxes.

“To ensure we can deliver your goods in shortest possible transit time, (the company) pays the customs authority on your behalf for duties and taxes that are due on your package. Once the duties and taxes are fully repaid your package will be delivered to you,” it added.

Pague said Jennylyn’s case is a classic example of the internet love scam, which has swindled victims of thousands of pesos for items supposedly sent to them by a supposed lover assuming a false identity. 

Pague reminded the public that duties and taxes should only be paid to the BOC through the government-owned bank, Land Bank of the Philippines.

“In the BOC, we don’t allow payment of duties in a private account. It shall be deposited to the account of the Bureau of Customs under Land Bank of the Philippines only, per existing (Commission on Audit) regulation,” he added.