With scammers getting more and more creative with their modus operandi, it’s understandably difficult to trust other people. That’s exactly the case for this netizen. Here’s what happened.

Is this a new scam?

According to X (formerly Twitter) user dandysngmn_, a.k.a. Lia, she received a call from someone claiming they accidentally sent 30,000 pesos to her GCash account.

However, upon checking her GCash account, she saw that she didn’t receive any money. In fact, her account only had centavos in it.

Upon informing the caller, the other party insisted they accidentally sent it to her and requested an OTP for a MySukli account. ICYDK, MySukli is an e-wallet connected to your mobile number, via which you can withdraw through Pay & Go kiosks in convenience stores and malls.

When Lia stood her ground about not receiving any amount, the other party tracked her social media and contacted her Facebook friends, even making comments like “ang ganda ng braces nyo mam.” The other party also threatened to report her to the police. “Punta kami cyber crime ngayon para makuha ID niyo sa GCash,” one text read. “Dala na namin ang blotter. Salamat.”

A distressed Lia asked for help from her family, who called the number and were greeted by three voices: a couple and another person claiming to be a staff of Globe.

Her family advised her to tell the other party to file the police report. “Mag file kayo ng police case and dun tayo magpakitaan ng receipt and transaction history,” she messaged the other party after they demanded her transaction history.

What are others saying?

With her tweet going viral, many other netizens reacted to the incident. One shared that a similar thing happened to them. “Pinipilit akong ibalik kuno yung 20k na pera nila na accidentally na send sa gcash account ko e 40 pesos lang naman laman ng gcash ko.”

A netizen also commented that the other party could’ve used her phone number to create a MySukli account under her name, while another pointed out that the other party’s “sense of urgency” is a red flag.

A netizen also suggested that even if she received the money, instead of simply transferring it, it’s better to return it through official channels, since she might be implicated in a bigger modus operandi.

According to Lia’s latest update, she will take legal action regarding the matter.

What can you do to protect yourself?

While it is unclear whether the claims of the other party were true or not, the incident still serves as a reminder to be careful when dealing with strangers calling or texting you. You can take precautions to protect yourself, such as:

• Do not answer unknown numbers. If you’re not expecting any text or call, avoid entertaining numbers not registered in your contacts.
• Do not give out your personal information. This includes OTPs and any identifiable data such as your name, address, and other contact details.
• Double-check your transactions in your e-wallets and banks. Check your accounts regularly to know how much you have.

Read more here:

• Here’s How You Can Protect Your Phone and Your Privacy from Those Annoying Spam Texts
• Those Annoying Spam Texts Are Getting More Sophisticated; How Did They Get Our Details?
• 8 Tips to Keep Yourself Safe and Secure Online

What are your thoughts on this incident?

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