A warning was issued by the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to the public against online love scams that falsely use the name and authority of the agency to extort money from unsuspecting victims.
According to BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval, the warning follows a recent walk-in inquiry received by the BI from a woman who sought verification on an email allegedly sent by an immigration official regarding the delivery of a parcel from abroad.
Sandoval said that the email claimed that the parcel, supposedly sent by the woman’s foreign boyfriend, had been “intercepted by the Bureau of Immigration under the Ministry of Interior” and required the payment of fees for its release.
The BI clarified that the email was fraudulent and forms part of a romance or love scam scheme.
Sandoval also stressed that the bureau does not intercept parcels, facilitate deliveries or collect fees for the release of packages and that it does not operate under a “Ministry of Interior.”
Thus, she said the BI is advising the public to be cautious when dealing with online acquaintances, especially those who later claim to have sent packages or request money for alleged government fees.
Too, the public is urged to immediately verify suspicious emails or messages with the concerned agency and to refrain from sending money or personal information.
It was learned that the BI has endorsed the reported incident to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Cybercrime Division for further investigation, even as it is coordinating with partner agencies to address similar scams as of this writing.
