The Department of Foreign Affairs is calling the attention of all Filipinos especially in Austria about the text scam circulating in the country using public institutions such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Bureau of Internal Revenues (BIR).

The DFA warns OFWs not to respond in text messages claiming that the recipient had won a large amount of money in an electronic raffle or lottery.

Scammers will then ask those people who responded to transmit money as a requirement before they receive their “prizes”. The amount collected will be used supposedly to pay for the taxes or remittances or as donation.

A lady victim narrated to the Philippine Embassy how she had paid a fee of €4,000 (P 258,809.00) for the release of her prize, which was supposed to be settled through a remittance center (Western Union) to certain “Jerry Rivas Vidal” which turned out to be a fictitious identity. The scammers even asked for an additional P38,900 as donation as soon as the transfer has been made.

According to the Philippine embassy in Vienna, scammers used the names of BSP governor Amando Tentangco, Jr. and BIR commissioner Sixto Esquivas to make their modus unsuspecting.

The scams are now reported to the National Bureau of Investigation and National Telecommunication Commission for Investigation.

The DFA advised OFWs not to be too trusty with people they just met and report immediately in case lured by scammers.