The person I met online keeps asking for load. Is that a scam?
Yes, very often it is the start of a scam. Load is small, so saying yes feels easy, and that is the point: the scammer learns that you give when asked, and the next request will be bigger. Stop at the first request and see what happens.
Some people genuinely run out of load, but a person who keeps asking a stranger for pang-load, pang-data or pang-internet, every few days, is not building a relationship; they are building a pattern. Load is also easy to resell, so it is real money for the scammer.
What to do
- Say no once, kindly, and watch the reaction. Anger, guilt or disappearing is a sign.
- Count how many times the person has asked. More than once is a pattern.
- Do not send load "so we can keep talking". A real person finds a way.
- Check the number: load requests often come from virtual numbers or numbers on scam lists.
- If the person has also asked for GCash or gifts, stop and check the photos and the messages.
Frequently asked questions
- It is only a small amount. What is the harm?
- The harm is the pattern. Small requests train you to say yes before the big one: an emergency, a ticket, an investment.
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