Preventing Scams

[Call me bubba]

I returned a week ago from a 10 day visit to the Philippines to vacation with my gf. We had met last fall and spent 3 days together.

At 25 I now think she is one of those very experienced at working a foreigner. When we first met and during the online distance relationship she never asked for anything, though she did hint for help a number of times. I ignored these and only sent a small amount of cash once prior to my visit for her travel. Plus several inexpensive gifts. During that online relationship she professed her love but never talked much about herself or her family. These things did set off a few warning bells but I decided to go through with spending my vacation with her.

The first three days in Makati went very well. Then we went to Baguio for 6 days. She had a head cold when I arrived and then when we got to Baguio some female issues. To the point where she never left the hotel room for two days. For those two days I ended up going out to explore Baguio on my own and she hardly spoke with me.

I had created an account for her on my laptop so when I got back I was able to review the browser history. Come to find out she has quite a few facebook accounts under different names. None of them her own. One account she has herself listed as a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, with pictures of the PMA from our tourist visit. It was her idea to visit the PMA, guess she wanted pictures for that facebook account.

At one point when she wasn't feeling well she asked if her cousin could visit us in Baguio and stay with us. I said NO then gave her the option of going home or staying. She decided to stay.

We did do some shopping and I did buy her a few small things and gave her some spending cash. But overall I spent less on my vacation than what I had planned.

Overall I enjoyed my vacation and the time I spent with her (except those two days). Six or seven days into the vacation I realized the relationship wasn't going anywhere.

I haven't heard from her in the 7 days since I left the Philippines. Which doesn't surprise me.

I really liked Baguio. Nice and cool when temperatures in Manila were close to 100F. Met an expat one morning when I walked into the business district to get a coffee and we chatted for a while.

I made one mistake, on the bus trip back to Manila we didn't have time to eat breakfast before we left so we had some BBQ and rice from a roadside bus stop. 12 hours later I was on the toilet. It really cleaned me out!

I have a bunch of pictures from Baguio I may upload. Of course many of them have my now former gf in them. She did like getting her picture taken.

So did I get scammed? Or was this just a relationship that didn't work out?

any updates on how your other visits(if any) have turned out or updates on her ?

[Thomas]

any updates on how your other visits(if any) have turned out or updates on her ?

He has updated in other topics. He live there now :) if I have understood corect it's with same woman, after they have cleared earlier missunderstandings and such.

[earthdome]

any updates on how your other visits(if any) have turned out or updates on her ?

He has updated in other topics. He live there now :) if I have understood corect it's with same woman, after they have cleared earlier missunderstandings and such.

I never heard from this woman again. Last time I had any communication from her was when I left for the airport at the end of my vacation with her in April 2012.

I am now living in the Philippines and have a girlfriend I met online late May 2012.

[sjp52]

I returned a week ago from a 10 day visit to the Philippines to vacation with my gf. We had met last fall and spent 3 days together.

At 25 I now think she is one of those very experienced at working a foreigner. When we first met and during the online distance relationship she never asked for anything, though she did hint for help a number of times. I ignored these and only sent a small amount of cash once prior to my visit for her travel. Plus several inexpensive gifts. During that online relationship she professed her love but never talked much about herself or her family. These things did set off a few warning bells but I decided to go through with spending my vacation with her.

The first three days in Makati went very well. Then we went to Baguio for 6 days. She had a head cold when I arrived and then when we got to Baguio some female issues. To the point where she never left the hotel room for two days. For those two days I ended up going out to explore Baguio on my own and she hardly spoke with me.

I had created an account for her on my laptop so when I got back I was able to review the browser history. Come to find out she has quite a few facebook accounts under different names. None of them her own. One account she has herself listed as a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy, with pictures of the PMA from our tourist visit. It was her idea to visit the PMA, guess she wanted pictures for that facebook account.

At one point when she wasn't feeling well she asked if her cousin could visit us in Baguio and stay with us. I said NO then gave her the option of going home or staying. She decided to stay.

We did do some shopping and I did buy her a few small things and gave her some spending cash. But overall I spent less on my vacation than what I had planned.

Overall I enjoyed my vacation and the time I spent with her (except those two days). Six or seven days into the vacation I realized the relationship wasn't going anywhere.

I haven't heard from her in the 7 days since I left the Philippines. Which doesn't surprise me.

I really liked Baguio. Nice and cool when temperatures in Manila were close to 100F. Met an expat one morning when I walked into the business district to get a coffee and we chatted for a while.

I made one mistake, on the bus trip back to Manila we didn't have time to eat breakfast before we left so we had some BBQ and rice from a roadside bus stop. 12 hours later I was on the toilet. It really cleaned me out!

I have a bunch of pictures from Baguio I may upload. Of course many of them have my now former gf in them. She did like getting her picture taken.

So did I get scammed? Or was this just a relationship that didn't work out?

Hey did you ever upload those Pics. I am very interested in Baguio. The more I can see and hear about it the better

[Thomas]

any updates on how your other visits(if any) have turned out or updates on her ?

He has updated in other topics. He live there now :) if I have understood corect it's with same woman, after they have cleared earlier missunderstandings and such.

I never heard from this woman again. Last time I had any communication from her was when I left for the airport at the end of my vacation with her in April 2012.

I am now living in the Philippines and have a girlfriend I met online late May 2012.

Oh! Sorry. May - May and Bagio - Bagio, I thought it was same woman :hystery:

Good you found out that early the first didn't suit.

[earthdome]

Hey did you ever upload those Pics. I am very interested in Baguio. The more I can see and hear about it the better

Yes, check my galleries.

[sjp52]

Nice Pictures. You still living there

[earthdome]

Nice Pictures. You still living there

Only visited there for a total of 11 days. Living 50km from there now on the west coast of Luzon in La Union.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Pay attention to your surroundings. Scams are everywhere...