17 April 2012 - The Philippine Embassy in London reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that unidentified individuals or groups are engaging in a new telephone scam meant to fraudulently obtain money from relatives in the Philippines of Filipinos residing and/or working in the UK.
These fraudsters telephone the parent or other close relatives in the Philippines informing them that their relative has been arrested or had been involved in a serious accident. They will then claim that he or she is an official of the Philippine Embassy. The parent or close relative will thereafter be requested to immediately send money purportedly to allow the Philippine Embassy to work for the immediate release from prison or hospital of the overseas Filipino worker (OFW) and arrange for his/her repatriation to the Philippines.
The public is advised that the DFA and its Embassies and Consulates all over the world extend assistance to Filipinos in distress at no monetary cost to them or their family. Coordination with an OFW's family in the Philippines is primarily made through the DFA in Manila. In urgent cases, the Embassy may call the family directly to convey information or secure other details or authorizations from the family, but never to solicit money.
In order to avoid unauthorized disclosure of the name, telephone number and other contact details of their immediate family in the Philippines, Filipinos abroad are strongly urged not to disclose such personal information to persons who are not known to them or are not legitimate banking or remittance companies. Unsolicited e-mail requesting such details, in relation to alleged cash prizes from lottery or raffle, should be ignored and deleted.
In case of any suspicious telephone calls, allegedly emanating from the DFA or any of its Embassies and Consulates and/or which follow the above-mentioned modus operandi, the public may contact the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate or the DFA's Office of Intelligence and Security at (632) 831-8921 or at ois@dfa.gov.ph. END