Public warned vs ‘romance scams’

MANILA, Philippines —  Ahead of Valentine’s Day, authorities have warned the public against rising online scams targeting people who are looking for love.

The Australian Federal Police and Australia’s National Anti-Scam Center, in collaboration with the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identified a fraudulent scheme operated by cybercriminals in the Philippines, which lures victims, including Australians, into fake online relationships to manipulate them into sending money.

The discovery is part of Operation Firestorm, a global crackdown on online fraud led by the Australian police together with local law enforcement partners, including the PAOCC and NBI.

Last month, a raid on a scam hub in Pasay City showed that fraudsters have identified over 5,000 Australians as potential targets.

In another raid on Feb. 4, the NBI apprehended 100 Filipinos and a Chinese national in an alleged “love scam” facility in Makati.

According to NBI Director Jaime Santiago, the suspects used artificial intelligence or AI to deceive victims in online romance scams.

Authorities urged the public to be wary of online relationships as scammers often pose as potential romantic partners to gain the victims’ trust before extorting money from them.