Suckered into a crazy, crazy, low-stakes but complex scam!!

[oztony 36,115]

2 minutes ago, AmericanInCebu said:

Why she asked that, I have no idea...

Ah ...because she knew that they were having you on ....

[Jawny 4,617]

Can the OP describe the postal ID?  Not personal info, but what it looks like. 

It seems odd the ID was given to you. If the family was poor, a postal ID was a bit of a costly item to surrender just to have to replace it. 

Just curious.

I still think this was no conspiracy, but just an opportunity which the OP presented to the girl. 

[AmericanInCebu 31]

2 hours ago, Don. said:

I agree with Roger, it does seem strange that the scam ended there. Typically the scams continue.

You know, maybe that's why the sisters and so forth were riding up on their scooters after I was walking home and asking me to come back to the so-called party.  They must have come up three of four times, on the bikes with some guys.  It wasn't the least bit threatening or scary, just super annoying.

They knew I had drawn the line though.  The sisters had, earlier, also asked me to rent a videoke machine for the party.  I had respectfully but firmly declined -- I guess with a trace of annoyance -- saying that paying for the catering was all I was prepared to do.

You guys are so awesome helping be debug a confusing and -- I have to admit -- somewhat troubling situation.  (I wonder if I had heeded their requests and gone back, would they have dropped me into a big boiling cauldron and had me for dessert????)

 

[Don. 606]

1 minute ago, Jawny said:

Can the OP describe the postal ID?  Not personal info, but what it looks like. 

Lots of fake ID's in the Phils....

[HTM 5,415]

This is not really a scam, its only getting some free food. And its an adventure trip for you that you only pay 150 UDS, good price, You also got a good story to tell your friends.  

 

 

[AmericanInCebu 31]

2 minutes ago, Jawny said:

Can the OP describe the postal ID?  Not personal info, but what it looks like. 

It seems odd the ID was given to you. If the family was poor, a postal ID was a bit of a costly item to surrender just to have to replace it. 

Just curious.

I still think this was no conspiracy, but just an opportunity which the OP presented to the girl. 

Before I left I carefully compared the postal ID (which I still have) to a postal ID of a friend of mine.  They were absolutely identical.

The reason the sister gave it to me is that I had specifically asked for it, right after I got to the house.  The girl was so incredibly tiny that I was sure it would draw questions on our vacation. She said, it's in my sister's hut and so her sister went and got it and handed it to me.  I simply put it in my wallet so that we'd have it with us and could readily respond if any questions were asked.

3 minutes ago, HTM said:

This is not really a scam, its only getting some free food. And its an adventure trip for you that you only pay 150 UDS, good price, You also got a good story to tell your friends.  

 

 

Hopefully that's right.  It's an awfully complicated way to get free food, and had they played their cards right -- and me being such a rube -- surely they could/would have gotten lots more than that!

[Don. 606]

3 minutes ago, AmericanInCebu said:

The girl was so incredibly tiny that I was sure it would draw questions on our vacation. She said, it's in my sister's hut and so her sister went and got it and handed it to me. 

Possibly the sister's ID ?

[+Dafey 14,557]

1 hour ago, AmericanInCebu said:

No one at the “party” took much interest in me other than to shake my hand

Have you counted your fingers since? Any rings missing?

29 minutes ago, AmericanInCebu said:

the sisters and so forth were riding up on their scooters after I was walking home and asking me to come back to the so-called party.

They probably had a scanner that showed you still had money left!

[AmericanInCebu 31]

3 minutes ago, Don. said:

Possibly the sister's ID ?

Nope.  The two don't look alike -- the sister is much older.   The postal ID was almost brand new and didn't appear to have been tampered with.

[fred42 2,295]

Sounds to me like you were unfortunate enough to meet some real low down scum bags here in Bohol...Sorry to hear that.
Ive lived in this part of the country for about  11 years and thus far have found Boholanos to be very honest.
What town or Barangay in Bohol do these scum bags reside in?? Thanks.
 

[Headshot 29,266]

Forgery is very common in the Philippines. Depending on what you pay, the results can vary from easily detectable to impossible to detect. This story is about the forgery market in Manila, but this goes on in pretty much every city in the Philippines.

https://worksthatwork.com/5/forgery-market

[smokey 21,825]

Got off cheap 

[jtmwatchbiz 31,376]

 since this is the public section i will keep the rest of my thoughts to myself but i see many red flags in this bizarre story.  

Edited January 31, 2019 by jtmwatchbiz

[AmericanInCebu 31]

Just now, jtmwatchbiz said:

you may be a bit premature in declaring the Filipinos in this bizarre tale as "scum bags".  since this is the public section i will keep the rest of my thoughts to myself but i see many red flags.  

Feel free to call them out -- I'm not aware of having done the slightest thing wrong but if you see otherwise it's fine to say so

 

 

[jtmwatchbiz 31,376]

1 minute ago, AmericanInCebu said:

Feel free to call them out -- I'm not aware of having done the slightest thing wrong but if you see otherwise it's fine to say so

 

 

it's not your decision it's mine.  out of respect for this site the stuff i see wrong with your story would be highly inappropriate for me to itemize. 

[lamoe 14,105]

2 hours ago, AmericanInCebu said:

Then I randomly run into this person who, unlike anyone else there, spoke perfect English and while I can’t remember exactly, as I recall she asked some pretty nosey questions.  I kind of half-answered them as I was simply trying to be polite. But what the heck was she doing there in the first place?

 

The questions are normal here - even the nosy ones

[KID 9,578]

5 hours ago, Don. said:

I agree with Roger, it does seem strange that the scam ended there. Typically the scams continue.

What if the end game revolves around that ID And her claiming he is holding it hostage from her ?

[SkyMan 23,308]

4 hours ago, AmericanInCebu said:

Nope.  The two don't look alike -- the sister is much older.   The postal ID was almost brand new and didn't appear to have been tampered with.

Had you mentioned to her beforehand she'd need an ID for the trip?  If you're curious enough, take it to a post office and tell ask them.  The Postal IDs I've seen don't look hard to fake though.  They might not even know.

[+RogerDuMond 13,264]

6 hours ago, AmericanInCebu said:

She said, it's in my sister's hut and so her sister went and got it and handed it to me.  I simply put it in my wallet so that we'd have it with us and could readily respond if any questions were asked.

Do the right thing and send it back to her.

[davehud 503]

OP, you got off cheap. Your scam antenna was up and you figured it out and walked away. Well done.

 

I think this family was new to the scamming business. You may have been their first victim. Give them some time and practice and they will be extracting much more than 6000 pesos. The next guy won't get off so cheap...

[SkyMan 23,308]

38 minutes ago, RogerDuMond said:

Do the right thing and send it back to her.

I wouldn't do that if it was fake.  I'd take it to the PO and ask them.  If it's fake they will probably destroy it.  If not just say you found it and maybe it will get back to her.

[Jawny 4,617]

 

"I know this is a pretty harsh forum and I'm sure a lot of people will throw spitballs at me for being an idiot."

 

I didnt understand this comment at first. Now I do. The spitballs have begun. 

[savarity 600]

This is not really a scam, its only getting some free food. And its an adventure trip for you that you only pay 150 UDS, good price, You also got a good story to tell your friends.    

 

 

She lied about her; relationship situation, romantic interest in OP, her intentions, and used the false pretenses to ultimately solicit gifts. We don't know how long the scam would have continued if OP didn't wise up and leave. Taken as a whole, yes, this is commonly known as a romance scam. 

 

Just because the scammer didn't score a particularly big haul from the mark, doesn't change the nature of things.

 

 

[HTM 5,415]

3 minutes ago, savarity said:

She lied about her; relationship situation, romantic interest in OP, her intentions, and used the false pretenses to ultimately solicit gifts. We don't know how long the scam would have continued if OP didn't wise up and leave. Taken as a whole, yes, this is commonly known as a romance scam. 

 

Just because the scammer didn't score a particularly big haul from the mark, doesn't change the nature of things.

 

 

We don't know, you only guessing. And she "selling" a short time whit him, so how mush info did she need to give. You think he tell her about all his girl and date to? BTW I only think he tell us 20% of the story, and that part maybe only 50% correct. Do you know if he marred  whit kids back home or not? Maybe he the big love scammer, I don't know.

[to_dave007 5,681]

41 minutes ago, savarity said:

She lied about her; relationship situation, romantic interest in OP, her intentions, and used the false pretenses to ultimately solicit gifts. We don't know how long the scam would have continued if OP didn't wise up and leave. Taken as a whole, yes, this is commonly known as a romance scam. 

Just because the scammer didn't score a particularly big haul from the mark, doesn't change the nature of things.

She's single.. so what if maybe she has a boyfriend..  she's still single.  do you think that OP is an angel with no other girls on the hook?  In English we have a saying.. "what's good for the goose is good for the gander"..  or "what goes around comes around"..  Why do you think OP paid the 6000 peso?  who was he trying to impress?  for what purpose? Did OP rent a single bed at the local monastery for the night or was he hoping the young lady would swoon for her rich foreigner?

No question that the OP didn't much like getting played..  but the girls are not the only ones who play this game.  the game that's only called a scam when the wrong person comes out on the losing end.

So..  to the OP AmericanInCebu..  was this the ONLY (!!) girl you corresponded with when you came to PI?  Did you tell her about all the others?  Are you any more "single" than the girl?  You don't really need to answer..  none of my business..  but at least you understand the point.

Edited January 31, 2019 by to_dave007