“An angel crying for help.”
Wow, what a tag line! This SMS scammer should have been a copywriter for the advertising industry. It pinches the heart, doesn’t it? Then again, beware!
I received this text (in Fiipino) through my Globe number last January 25, 2010:
“Pued po b akong humingi ng 2long sa inyo? I’m marie, 21yo fresh grad po from Bacolod City. Gagawin ko po ang lahat ng kapalit na gusto nio, ma2lungan nio lng po akong makapunta sa mynila.My job hiring n asana po kc ako jan sa san mig-ortigas, syang po kc kung madissolve lng..Im willing to take the risks ng kpalit na hhngin nio. Un nlng tlga pgasa ko na mkluwas kgd pra mhbol deadline ko po. My pic & supporting docs po ako sa http://www.mariebacolod.tk – marie”
In my terms, it was “tagos sa puso.” I worked for San Miguel before and was sure this was indeed a great opportunity for new grads. If you had the money to give for fare for the sake of charity, why not? Forget the part “she’ll do anything in exchange” as it is so un-Christian. So I checked her site and read it. I researched on the web and alarm bells already sounded. It was a scam.
A few days later, this is the text I got:
Name: Marie Velasco
Age: 21
Birthdate: Feb 21, 1987
Height: 5'7"
Complexion: Fair
Vital Stats: 35-25-36
Hair: Long and straight
Other: joined some provincial pageants for allowance
Course: BS Information Management (Computer and Accountancy)
School: DOST Scholar in University of St. La Salle – Bacolod
Parents: Anna and Mario Velasco (both deceased)
Picture: www.mariebacolod.tk
So I just played along and texted back and asked how I could help and this was “her” initial reply:“My deadline na po sana kasi ako dis coming Feb 1 po.. 9am sa San Miguel ITServices department pos a ortigas. Junior IT Specialist po ung position na inaapplayan ko.. Sayang po tlga kc dhl related sa course ko.. Final briefing nlang po sana..”
Then I asked how much money was needed for fare, “her” reply was:
“Depende po kung saan nio ko pasasakayin.. Barko o eroplano po? Ung boat fare sa superferry is 2,350 po with 4 trips per week. Monday, wed, fri and Sunday po. While ung plane po is 3,268 with 3 flights EVERYDAY po”
By this time, it was obvious that this scammer has cut-and-paste answers. The actual fares were really cheap. The deadline was supposedly February 1 so the option of taking the boat was out of the question as it will take 2-3 days to get to Manila from Bacolod City. Besides, the fact that it takes the texter between 12 to 24 hours to respond means that “she” is not really that desperate and changes SIM cards, the one being used to scam not a permanent one.Here are the websites the scammer built for a tinge of legitimacy:
www.marievelasco.tk
www.mariebacolod.tk
www.avelasco.cjb.net
This text scam dates back to June 2008 from the first time a blog about it was posted and many other earlier posts on the subject. It has been active the whole of 2009 till this year as per my personal account.
Be careful out there my good-hearted friends. Wolves abound.
-Homer
Some links to other posts on the Anna Marie Velasco Text Scam:
http://makeuseoftime.blogspot.com/2009/03/annamarie-velasco.html
http://docmnel.com/2008/06/04/anna-marie-velasco-another-scam-in-the-making/comment-page-1/
http://menardconnect.com/2009/08/01/sms-scam-marie-velasco/comment-page-1/#comment-2417
http://kokoro15.multiply.com/journal/item/35
http://bluemaldita.livejournal.com/13298.html
http://blog.richardorlino.com/2009/12/the-anna-marie-velasco-scam/
http://www.filipinowriter.com/marie-velasco-mag-ingat-sa-manlolokong-ito
5 comments:
This ANNA MARIE VELASCO has been sending my Mom SMS around November/December last year. It’s been our rule not to respond to any messages such as this since this could possibly be a scam. She had been very persistent with her texts, but as always we did not respond. She had stopped texting mid-January and it was until last week that we started receiving messages from her once more. All her SMS had the same underlying message: she needs financial aid so that she can attend the “interview” with SMC.
I suppose we will no longer be hearing from her since her last SMS to us were something in the lines of ‘Sana masaya kayo sa ginawa niyo. Meron kayong pinaiyak na probinsyana dahil sa hindi pagtulong niyo. Sana palakpakan kayo sa ginawa niyo.’ In that case, GOOD RIDDANCE!
Personally, I have no ill feelings toward this person. In fact, I pity her that she would have to resolve to these actions in order get through life. Pathetic. Besides, I don’t think she will succeed in her scam as long as people are not fooled by it. “Wag magpaloko sa manloloko”. The only thing that bothers me is that she sends text messages in the wee hours of the morning and it’s been very bothersome to my Mom since she gets awaken by these text messages.
I am curious though as to how this Anna Marie Velasco comes up with the mobile number she sends texts to. Is it purely random? And if someone decides to help her, would she be willing to personally get the cash?
Anyway, that’s all. Thanks and stay safe everyone.
Thank you for this, Homer. I just got one now, this time her name is Sam O. Mendoza, pareho din ang pic.
With her ability and grade point na above 90, imposibleng di sya makahanap ng work dun mismo sa Bacolod.
Thank you for your info,mauuto na sana ako, may tinge of prostitution pa yung offer nya, ang isang manyak at talagang, sa bisaya pa, "mailad" gyud.
interesting that this has been going on far too long. I just received her message this morning and checked the net immediately :) I checked the net because I am fearing my contact and personality may have been compromised and targeted by an organize crime and my fear for my family... SCAMMER PALA :D
Thanks for this SCAM ALERT... to warn everyone, she is UP again.. Now under the name of Alex A. Diaz ... same SMS messages , message lines , details and documents but she updated the dates of the documents now... anyway the number she is using now is 0932-424-0569 ... the link she gave http://www.smallwish.tk/ .. if you will see the same SCAM STRATEGY ..
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