With the rise of online dating, more Western men have started seeking relationships with Filipina women they meet on dating sites. My experience has been primarily positive, and I consider it an excellent way to meet beautiful, sweet Filipinas in the Philippines.
The prevalent scams in Philippines Online Dating often involve catfishing and soliciting money from individuals without any prior face-to-face interaction with the Filipina. To avoid such fraudulent activities, opt for dating Filipina women with verified profiles, conduct video calls to authenticate identities, and refrain from sending money before meeting someone in person. Additionally, promptly report any suspicious behavior online to ensure scammers are swiftly removed from dating platforms, preventing further victimization.
When a Filipina asks to borrow money – always treat it as a gift because you will never see that money again.
-Eric James
I have used all the most common dating apps and websites in the Philippines. Check out my best recommendations in my article: Top Dating Apps For Expats Looking For Filipina Women.
While most Filipinas have genuine intentions, it’s important to develop the skills necessary to identify scammers who target foreigners on dating platforms in the Philippines. This guide will help you avoid common dating scams when pursuing relationships with Filipinas online. We’ll outline red flags to watch for, tips to verify a Filipina’s identity, and best practices to avoid being scammed. With awareness and vigilance, you can find meaningful connections online while steering clear of romance scams.
Common Scams Targeting Western Men
Scammers often target Western men seeking relationships with Filipinas online. Some common scams to watch out for include:
Catfishing
Catfishing, defined by Oxford Languages, is the process of luring someone into a relationship by means of a fictional online persona. This means that the beautiful Filipina woman that you see online is not really her, it could be anyone on the other end of the computer.
Catfish use fake or stolen photos on their profiles, a common scam that uses photos stolen from models and influencers to create attractive profiles. Reverse image searches can help uncover if the photos are stolen. Scammers may also carefully crop photos or use video filters during chats to hide their real identity.
In my experience, the best way to avoid catfish online is to insist on a video call with the woman. If she won’t, that is a major red flag and an indicator of a catfish. She might make excuses that she is “too shy” or that she can do a voice call instead of a video call, but I suggest avoiding this prospect.
Also see: The Ultimate Guide to Dating Women in the Philippines
Asking For Money For An Emergency
Asking for money for fake emergencies or business opportunities – Scammers may claim they suddenly need money for a medical emergency, to help a family member, or for an investment opportunity. But after you send money, they disappear or continue asking for more. For example, one man recounted sending a Filipina he met online $500 after she claimed she desperately needed money for her sick baby. He never heard from her again (source).
Another famous story among local expats in the Philippines is the story of a Filipina’s father who died multiple times. On each occurrence, a gullible foreigner forked over money to pay for the death expenses. However, the father was alive and well the entire time.
Asking For Money For School
Pretending to be a student needing help with tuition—Some scammers claim to be students who need help paying for their education. They ask for cash to pay for tuition, books, and other fees. But in reality, they pocket the money while continuing to scam other victims (source).
While it could be true, I have met Filipinas on FilipinoCupid who were online looking for a foreign boyfriend. The perceived value of a Western man, under certain circumstances, is that he can help support a Filipina in getting her education. However, remember never to send money to someone you have never met in person and developed a long-term relationship with.
Sugar Daddy Requests: Asking For Gifts and Cash
Asking for gifts and cash before meeting in person – Scammers often avoid meeting in person. Instead, they claim they want a real relationship while asking for money, phones, computers, and other gifts first. They make excuses for why they can’t meet yet while continuing to ask for things. Victims often send large sums of money or gifts without realizing they are being scammed.
I have witnessed a Western man buying numerous expensive gifts for a beautiful Filipina woman. After receiving the gifts, she blocked him and moved on to her next victim.
-Eric
Asking For Money For Transportation To Meet You
Due to the geography of the Philippines, having over 7000+ islands, a common type of online scam is where the women asks for money to come to meet you in person. She will want money in order to “buy a plane ticket” or “buy a ferry boat ride ticket”.
Upon receiving the money via a Western Union transaction, for example, she blocks the victim or never shows up. This scam happened to me once in Medellin, Colombia, and fortunately, I learned my lesson and never fell for that again.
The better option would be for you to travel to her location. The Philippines has many reasonably affordable travel option to get around to the different islands. Also, you could tell her that once she arrives to meet you for your date, you will reimburse her for her travel expenses.
Also see: Is Cebu City, Philippines Safe For Foreigners and Expats Traveling?
Red Flags to Watch For
When chatting with Filipinas online, there are a number of red flags that may indicate a romance scam. Some key warning signs include:
1. Won’t video chat or meet in person
One of the biggest red flags is if a Filipina woman refuses to video chat or meet up in person after you’ve been communicating for some time. Scammers often make endless excuses as to why they can’t video chat despite having a smartphone or claim they want to meet but then cancel at the last minute.
2. Uses chat apps, not dating sites, to communicate
Scammers will try to quickly move the conversation off the dating site and onto other chat platforms like WhatsApp, Viber or Facebook Messenger. This takes things out of the view of the dating site, gives them more control and makes it harder to report them.
Insist on using the dating site’s own chat for, at minimum, the first 5 back-and-forth interactions. Remember, when transitioning to other chat platforms, always insist on doing video calls to authenticate her identity matches her pictures online.
3. Makes excuses why they can’t meet
Similar to avoiding video chats, scammers will come up with all kinds of elaborate stories why they can’t meet up in person, like a sudden illness, family emergency, no transportation or lack of money. But they’ll never want to meet face-to-face.
4. Bad grammar indicative of foreign scammers
Though English proficiency varies in the Philippines, very poor grammar, excessive misspellings, and awkward phrasing can indicate a foreign scammer. Generally, Filipino people have a decent level of proficiency in English, a significant reason why so many corporate call centers have been moved there, so they tend to have better grammar and spelling.
5. Asks questions but shares little about themselves
When chatting, does the Filipina seem very curious about your life and ask many questions but offer little information about herself? This one-sided interest could mean she’s gathering intel for scamming. Don’t share too much about yourself online, especially your finances. Stick to more fun subjects like your hobbies and interests.
Verifying a Filipina’s Identity
It’s essential to take steps to verify the identity of Filipina women you meet on dating sites before becoming invested. Here are some tips:
- Use a reverse image search on their photos using a site like TinEye or Google Images. This can reveal if they’ve used fake or stolen photos.
- Look for multiple social media accounts that are consistent with each other. For example, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter showing the same identity over time. Beware of accounts with few posts or friends as they may be fake.
- Look for social media accounts with a long-range history dating back years. Scammers have often created accounts and uploaded a lot of pictures in recent months.
- Ask questions only a local Filipina would know the answers to, like about places, foods, pop culture or current events in the Philippines. See if their answers seem credible.
- Assess if their English level matches their stated educational background. Look for grammar and spelling inconsistencies that may indicate a foreign scammer.
- Request they do a live video chat with you on the dating site’s app. This can help confirm they match their photos and are who they claim to be.
Taking these verification steps helps protect against scammers misrepresenting themselves online.
Want to date outside the Philippines? For an international guide: How To Stay Safe While Dating Women Internationally (8 Tips)
Don’t Get Discouraged
While romance scams are unfortunately common when dating Filipinas online, you shouldn’t allow fear of scammers to discourage you from seeking a real relationship. There are many genuine Filipina women using dating sites to meet a romantic partner. I have used them successfully numerous times.
They key words in your vocabulary should be “No” and “Next”. Say no to sending money online to anyone you have never met. Say “Next” to anyone you suspect as being a scammer and move on to the next profile.
Never send money or disclose passwords or sensitive data to someone you haven’t met in person. Trust your instincts and end communication if something seems suspicious.
By being vigilant, verifying identities, and using scam prevention best practices, you can safely navigate online dating. Look for Filipina women who want to communicate via the dating site’s chat, are open about sharing details of their lives, and are eager to meet in person. While money requests should raise red flags, don’t assume every Filipina has ill intentions if she genuinely wants to get to know you.
Finding love takes effort and courage, regardless of nationality. Despite the risks, thousands of Western men connect with Filipinas online every year, leading to marriage and lifelong partnerships. Approach Filipina dating cautiously but optimistically, and don’t allow a few bad apples to spoil your relationship goals. With practical safeguards, you can progress from online chat to real-world romance.
If you have found a Filipina girlfriend online, you might be interested in my article about: How To Maintain A Long-Distance Relationship With A Filipina
Report Scammers
If you encounter a suspected scammer, report them using the dating site’s reporting tools. Most sites have a “Report Profile” button on each member’s page. Gather evidence of the scam attempt, including screenshots of conversations, profile details, and requests for money. Submit these along with your report.
You can also warn other users by leaving comments about the scammer on their profile before reporting them. Say something like “SCAM ARTIST – Do not send any money” to alert others of the danger.
After reporting the scammer, block them so you no longer receive messages. Do not engage with scammers further after reporting, as that gives them opportunities to scam you.
By quickly reporting and blocking scammers, you help clean up the site and protect other users. Do your part to keep your fellow daters safe.