Alert raised on Internet scam using Customs

CEBU CITY—Authorities here warned the public to be on alert for another Internet scam that promises victims packages in exchange for payment of supposedly customs duties and taxes.

Ronnie Silvestre, customs collector here, said a Cebu woman and several other persons have fallen victims to the scam. He did not reveal the victims’ identities, however.

Silvestre said the scam perpetrators first get in touch with their victims through www.asiandating.com, an Internet dating site.

The perpetrators would next send a message to their intended victims through e-mail purportedly coming from the customs bureau informing them that packages would be sent to them after they pay duties and taxes to be deposited in a designated bank account, Silvestre said at a press conference Tuesday.

Victims who sent payments to the bank account never got their packages.

Silvestre said his office has coordinated with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate the case and file charges against the perpetrators. Silvestre said most of the victims were women.

In the same press conference, NBI Central Visayas regional director Edward Villarta said his office has started investigating the scam.

Capt. George Macarubbo, sector commander of security service of the Customs Police Division, said that at least five women have fallen victims to the scam. One of them was a woman living in Lapu-Lapu City. The other victims come from Makati, Bacoor in Cavite, La Union and Dipolog City.

The female victim from Lapu-Lapu City lost P15,000 to the scam when she deposited the money as instructed by the fraudulent e-mail message.

Most of the e-mail senders come from Australia, United Kingdom and United States.

Villarta asked media to withhold the e-mail account names of the senders because investigators were still trying to establish their identities. He added that authorities would have difficulty in accessing bank records.

After receiving several complaints, Macarubbo referred the case to customs officials.

The officials agreed to inform the public about the scam.

Silvestre urged the public to first report to the customs bureau any e-mail message purportedly promising them packages after payment of duties and taxes.

He said duties and taxes due the customs bureau are payable only to the Bureau of Customs and not through any bank.