The Department of Foreign Affairs recently warned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) about the fake “GMA Charity Foundation.” The syndicate uses the name of the President to swindles money from OFWs by sending text messages telling them that they won a prize through an online lottery.

Wilson Ibgos, 48, married, technician and resident of 14 Daisy St., Area-9, Veterans Village, Quezon City, is the most recent victim by a “text scam” syndicate using the office of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

“Ipang-aapply ko po sana ’yung pera ko papunta sa Saudi Arabia hindi ko po alam na maloloko lang pala ako ng sindikato,” Ibgos lamented.

According to Ibgos, he deposited P30,000 in a bank in Ortigas Center, Pasig, April 26, Wednesday afternoon.

“Pangbayad ko po ’yun sa placement ko kasi babalik ako sa Saudi. Akala ko talaga nanalo ako ng P3 million, nakipagsapalaran ako na ibigay sa kanila ’yung pera ko,” he added.

The head of the Eastern Police District Senior Insp. Rolly Vilar of Criminal Investigation Unit said that the victim received a text messages telling him that he won P3 million at around 10:10 a.m the other day.

“Congrats your cell # had won P3-million pesos during the electronic raffle draw of 1st anniversary PGMA Foundation, call Atty. Alfred D. Macapagal #09206581785 on how to claim,” the text message read.

SPO1 Geminer Tingne, case officer, said that Ibgos was instructed to deposit P30, 000 to account number 2835084259 under the name of Cesar Beltran at the Philippine National Bank, Strata 1000 in Ortigas Center branch in Pasig.

The P30,000, according to the syndicate, was for the taxes of the P3 million cash that he won.

After depositing the said amount, the syndicate asked Ibgos to deposit another P50, 000 cash in another bank in Ortigas Center.

“Dito na ako nagsimulang magduda kaya bumalik agad ako du’n sa PNB para kunin ’yung pera ko pero na-withdraw na nila,” he said.

Failure to recover his money led him to report the incident to the police.

The public, most especially OFWs because they are vulnerable to these scams, should be aware of the said syndicate to prevent them from victimizing again.

Added to that, do not believe anyone sending you text messages telling you won in a lottery when you know to yourself that you are not joining in any lottery.