A foreigner I met online wants to send me a package. Is it a scam?
Almost always, yes. The "package" is the setup: a few days later a fake courier or customs office messages you that the parcel with cash, gold or a phone is held and you must pay a fee to release it. There is no package, and every fee you pay is lost.
The story is well rehearsed. The person shows you a photo of the box, a tracking number and a courier website that looks real. Then "customs" calls or texts: the parcel contains money and you must pay a clearance fee, an anti-terrorism certificate or a tax, through GCash or a bank account in a personal name.
Real couriers and the Bureau of Customs do not ask you to pay fees to a personal GCash account, and no stranger sends you thousands of dollars in a box.
How to spot it
- The person insists on sending a gift you did not ask for, often money or jewelry "for your future".
- The courier website is new, has no office address in the Philippines and only chats through WhatsApp or Messenger.
- The fees must be paid today, to a personal GCash or bank account, and the amount grows every time you pay.
- Search the courier name and the tracking number online together with the word "scam".
- Check the person's photos and messages before you reply: package scams use stolen photos and copied scripts.
Frequently asked questions
- They already sent me a photo of the parcel and a tracking number. Is that proof?
- No. Photos and tracking pages are easy to fake. The only thing that will be real is the fee they ask you to pay.
- I already paid a fee. Will I get the package?
- No. The package does not exist. Stop paying, save the chats and receipts, contact GCash or your bank and report it.
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