3 OFWs fall prey to text scam in Kuwait

Three Filipino women in Kuwait became the latest victims of a text scam aimed at individuals who own mobile phones with roaming Philippine-based numbers.

Online news site Kuwait Times on Friday reported that domestic helpers Tessie Guillermo, 27, Shirley Poras, 30, and Amina Ankul, 18, were victimized by the short messaging system (SMS) scam.

According to the three, a certain Rod J. Davis, told them through text messages that they won
P1.4 million in an electronic raffle from the Philippine Central Bank.

Davis reportedly advised the three to contact one Edwina Bailon Alejar to get their prize.

When the three women contacted Alejar, she asked for their personal contact details, and P15,000 as processing fee.

"We quickly sent the money and waited for a reply, but we never got one and their mobile has been unreachable ever since," Ankul said.

Worse, Poras and Guillermo were agonizing as they left for Manila Wednesday due to family-related incidents.

Poras left Kuwait to attend her father's burial, while Guillermo decided to return home when she received news that her mother was in a coma after suffering from a heart attack.

"We are in the midst of a financial dilemma and we badly need money for our families. I need money for my mother's hospital bill and my colleague needs money for her father's burial. We don't have any money left as we gave all our money to the scammers," cried out Guillermo.

The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila earlier released a memorandum to their embassies and consulates worldwide advising Filipinos not to respond to such text messages. - GMANews.TV

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