It’s a story as old as time: boy meets girl, girl turns out to be part of a major scamming syndicate, and boy loses a lot of money.
On January 17, in an episode of the public service program Raffy Tulfo in Action, Singaporean actor Laurence Pang revealed that he had lost nearly P1.5 million (S$35,000) in a love scam involving what he thought was a Filipina love interest.
The 78-year old veteran actor, known for his roles in the Singaporean shows Tanglin and Sunny Side Up, claimed to have met a woman named Mika on the online dating app Pinalove, which caters to foreign men looking to meet “genuine Filipina girls.” “Being an old man,” said Pang, “you know, when a young lady tells you, ‘I like you…’ Stupid, that was stupid.”
After chatting online, Mika convinced Pang to invest in a counterfeit version of the Japanese e-commerce platform Rakuten. Trusting her, Pang transferred money into Mika’s account so she could set up a cryptocurrency and e-commerce page for him. But just three days later, suspicion began to creep in when Pang discovered the platform blocked resellers from withdrawing their profits. Desperate to cut his losses, he tried to remove the products he had listed only to realize that his money was still disappearing into the fake system.
“We call that scam a romance or love scam,” said Public Information Officer of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercime Group Wallen Mae Arancillo, who also joined the episode of Raffy Tulfo in Action via phone call. Arancillo said that the usual modus operandi of love scammers is to get the sympathy of their victims so they can encourage them to invest in cryptocurrency.
The Rise of Love Scams in the Philippines
While Pang is reportedly working with the PNP to investigate the scam, it is difficult to say whether or not he will ever get his money back. Most people do not. According to Undersecretary Alexander Ramos, Executive Director of the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), love scams are one of the country’s most prevalent forms of cybercrime.
Cases like Pang’s are the reason why the CICC is relaunching its #UnmatchPH campaign ahead of Valentine’s Day, which is when love scams are expected to rise. The campaign is meant to raise awareness about online schemes that victimize single individuals looking for a romantic connection.
“What makes love scams particularly painful is the double agony: breaking someone’s heart while also stealing their money,” said Scam Watch Pilipinas co-convenor Jocel De Guzman in a press conference at the National Cybercrime Hub in Taguig City on January 22.
What To Look Out For
Although love scams can take a number of different forms, they often follow a predictable pattern of red flags. According to De Guzman, scammers frequently present photos that seem way too perfect to be true, using images stolen from the internet, celebrities, or influencers to craft an idealized persona. They also tend to lack verified social media accounts, making it difficult to verify their identity.
Another common trait among scammers is they don’t accept invitations to video calls or in-person meetings, as this will blow off their cover, whether it’s inconsistency in the scammer’s story or appearance. Eventually, the ask for money comes and it’s usually tied to some “emergency” or urgent need. It’s all part of their manipulation game designed to build trust and, eventually, take advantage of the victim’s generosity.
Additionally, the #UnmatchPH campaign reintroduced different love scam “archetypes” that were first introduced when the CICC launched the campaign in 2024. These archetypes are the “Sad Boi/Sad Gurl,” “Seducer,” “Investor,” “Servicemen,” “Escort,” “Predator,” and “Slow Burn,” focusing on how the scammers zero in on a victim’s emotional need before taking their money.
