DAGUPAN CITY (PIA) – The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) Region 1 is urging the public to be vigilant against "love scams" prevalent online.

"Love scams," also known as online dating scams, involve fraudsters who manipulate victims into believing they are in a real romantic relationship. 

“The scammer uses online communication to gain trust, then exploits the victim for money or steals their identity,” explains Lawyer Ana Minelle Maningding, NTC-Region 1 legal officer, during the ‘Pantongtongan Tayo’ (Pag-usapan Natin) virtual presser of PIA Pangasinan.

"Scammers often target older singles seeking love, particularly on platforms like Facebook. They build rapport by acting genuine until trust is established, then initiate the scam,” Maningding said.

Maningding highlights key red flags to identify potential love scams.

“If someone you're romantically involved with online consistently dodges video calls or avoids face-to-face communication, it's a cause for concern. Never share explicit photos online, as they can be used for blackmail,” she advised.

Maningding also warns about other prevalent online scams:

• Raffle Scams: These falsely claim you have won a prize you never entered.

• Bonus Scams: Scammers promise forced payouts you have not qualified for.

• Delivery Scams: You are told a package is on its way, even though you have not ordered anything, with pressure to accept and pay a delivery fee.

She warned about the prevalence of scams, emphasizing that one should be cautious of both grammatical errors and unofficial websites.

Maningding emphasizes several precautions to avoid falling victim to scams.

“Never share One Time Passwords (OTPs), financial details, or click suspicious links; always double-check information with legitimate sources before acting on it; and block, ignore, report, and delete (BIRD) potential scam messages,” she added.

Victims of text scams can report directly to the NTC online complaints at https://ntc.gov.ph/.

For monetary scams, Maningding said to report it immediately to the nearest Philippine National Police cybercrime unit.

You can also file a complaint online at the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center at https://cicc.gov.ph/.

Maningding emphasized the importance of verification. 

“Check information directly through trusted sources, like your bank's website or official phone number. Additionally, contact the NTC to confirm the legitimacy of anyone contacting you,” she said.

Maningding clarifies that registering a SIM card under the SIM Registration Act (Republic Act 11934) does not guarantee immunity from scams, it helps authorities track down scammers more effectively. (JCR/AMB/JCDR/JPBS/PIA Pangasinan)