The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued an advisory regarding a new email scam that victimizes people by sending tempting and seemingly too good to be true offers such as employment or a way to earn huge amounts of money.

According to an article in the website of DFA, the Philippine Embassy in Abuja reported that a number of Filipinos have already been victimized by this scam that they call the “419 Scam.”

The report said, “The Nigerian-based syndicates’ modus operandi involves sending e-mails to unsuspecting victims promising employment in Nigeria, bank loans, lottery winnings or double-your-money schemes using Filipino names to victimize OFWs and other job applicants in the Philippines.”

For the email to sound convincing, it is typical of the sender to use the address of the Philippine Embassy in Nigeria.

Part of the report said, “The syndicate requires the recipient to remit money to a particular bank account in Nigeria, supposedly as payment for application fees, taxes, and other processing fees.”

According to the DFA, Filipinos who have been victimized narrated that the e-mail sender comes by the name of a certain Dr. Ruben S. Cruz. The said sender claims to be an employee of Philippine Embassy in Nigeria and demands USD 200 payment to the Federal Inland Revenue Services of Nigeria so the recipients will be given a tax certificate.

The DFA said, “The public is advised not to send any money or divulge personal information, particularly bank accounts or credit card numbers, if they received similar e-mails.”

The government agency advises anyone who will receive this kind of email to immediately forward and report it to the Cybercrimes Division of the National Bureau of Investigation and the Anti-Money Laundering Council of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.