Warnings & Updates

PHILIPPINE TRAVELERS INTERNET SCAMS and other WARNINGS, TIPS & UPDATES!

Update for 2009

THE AGE OF THE CELLULAR PHONE:

The Philippines is a country in which just a few years ago you could not find a single landline phone in an entire community! (Most of these communities are referred to as a barangay or purok.)

The modern advent of the cellular phone and the internet has changed life in the Philippines quite drastically. Just as in the states, it seems that EVERYONE has a cellular phone to their ear or in one hand and bottled water in the other. In the Philippines, the cellular phone is often credited with being the instrument by which former president Estrada was brought down as it was a driving force in the so-called “People Power” revolution.

That being said, and despite the many great strides and improvements the cellular phone has brought to the Philippines, the westerner who is staying in contact with his lady friend (or person with whom a business deal is being done) must be aware of, is the fact that in Philippines each cellular phone has what is called a “SIM CARD”. The SIM CARD is the small computer card which contains the cellular phone number and memory for ANY phone into which it is placed. SIM CARDS are easily inserted into, and/or removed from most cellular phones, thus allowing the owner to effectively turn what amounts to a different telephone (number) on or off at will. In fact, some people who don’t even have cellular phones do carry SIM CARDS which they can check for messages and send or receive texts by simply placing their SIM CARD into the phone of a friend.

When questioned why there was no answer and/or a recording saying the phone was “unattended, unavailable, or out of reach, or out of the service area”, the most common excuse is that the phone was either “charging, lost, stolen (snatched) or in the shop for repairs”. Some even claim it was “pawned”, which is also a handy way of asking for cash so that they can stay in contact. (Remember that these scenarios do actually happen, but are often used to scam unsuspecting foreigners.)

Remembering that most Filipina are honest and sincere, BEWARE that some unscrupulous people are using multiple SIM CARDS to enable them to “handle” more than one affair at a time!

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