The Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group has issued a warning to the public about a new version of the “Romance scam” emerging this February, coinciding with the celebration of Valentine’s Day.
In an interview with Bombo Radyo Iloilo, Police Lieutenant Arthvic Velasquez, Chief of the Operations Section of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit VI, explained that, much like the traditional love scam, scammers are targeting individuals looking for romantic relationships through dating apps and social media platforms.
However, the new twist in this scam involves fraudsters encouraging victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency websites instead of directly asking for money once the victim becomes emotionally invested.
Once the victim deposits money into the fraudulent platform, the scam website disappears, and the suspect cuts all communication, leaving the victim with financial losses.
Velasquez advised individuals seeking love online to exercise caution when engaging with people they meet on social media, urging them to carefully evaluate the credibility of individuals and offers they encounter.
