A Word About Fraud & Scams

expat 24-11-2025

If I had sum up all advice I could give in this area, it would be the old, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Always, trust, but verify.

Meet people in the real world. Especially if this is about romance.

If the person asks for money, it’s probably not what you are looking for.

The Philippines is not a wealthy, developed nation. There are many areas and people who do not have great economic prospects. Combine this with the expat community and you have common, unfortunate situations that arise. This is not meant to be a negative. Every country, every culture has its positives and negatives. If you go looking for the negatives, you will find it.

1. The “Foreigner Price” (aka: The Gringo Tax)

Not really a scam — just a consistent “you’re obviously not from here” markup.

Happens with taxis, trikes, market vendors, contractors, certain bars and basically anyone who senses you don’t know the price of rice. Know the going rate, or expect to pay the “Welcome to Asia, my friend” surcharge. Also, known as the “white-man” tax or foreigner tax in which something suddenly becomes 3X more expensive.

2. Immigration & Visa Fixers

People claiming: “I can get your visa fast”, “I can remove your overstay fee”, or “I know someone inside”.

Spoiler: They usually don’t. They take money, and you end up more screwed than before.

If it isn’t the official Bureau of Immigration (BI) office or an accredited lawyer, keep walking.

3. Relationship / Dating Scams

The Philippines has some wonderful people — and some world-class Olympic scammers.

Common formats: Online romance → quick love → sudden financial emergencies

“My family needs help” (every week)
“I need money to process documents”
“I lost my phone” (for the 5th time this month)
Secret foreign husband or rotating roster of foreigners

Worst case:

You fund the entire barangay and don’t even get a Christmas card.

4. ATM & Money Handling Scams

ATMs skimming cards (yes, it still happens)
Stores “accidentally” short-changing you
Cashiers swapping your bill for a counterfeit and blaming you
Money changers doing sleight-of-hand tricks

Golden rule: If the ATM looks like it was glued on by a drunk carpenter, don’t insert your card.

5. Land, Condo & Property Scams

Foreigners can’t own land in the Philippines, but scammers love pretending that you can.

Classic moves:

Selling land that isn’t theirs
“Exclusive pre-construction” condo deals that never get built
Fake titles
Inflated appraisal values
The ol’ “Don’t worry sir, we’ll put it in my brother-in-law’s name, totally safe.” Uh-huh. Sure.

6. Investment / Business Scams

A few classics:

“Guaranteed 20% monthly return”
Fake crypto or trading platforms
“Let’s open a bar together!” (translation: you pay, they drink)
Partnering with someone who disappears with the cash after 3 months
“Sir, you need to pay under-the-table to renew your business license”

If a deal sounds too good to be true — congratulations, it’s a scam.

Work with reputable law firms and business development agencies to setup a business in the Philippines. There is also the question of whether having the locally-based legal entity makes the most sense in your situation.

7. Charity & “Emergency” Scams

The Filipino talent for creative begging can range from innocent to industrial-level:

Fake medical emergencies
“Fundraising for a school”
Street kids working for syndicates
A friend’s “friend” who always needs money for hospital bills, funerals, or land disputes (There are apparently infinite funerals).

8. Rental & Housing Scams

Taking deposits on apartments they don’t own
Showing “model units” that look nothing like the real units
Landlords keeping your deposit for “repairs” that don’t exist
Utility bills in the landlord’s name that magically quadruple

Don’t rent anything you haven’t physically walked into yourself.

9. Airport / Transport Scams

“Assistance fee” (not a thing)
Overcharging taxis
Meter “broken”
Luggage handlers demanding tips
Guys offering “express clearance”

NAIA has cleaned up a lot — but the hustlers didn’t all evaporate. The smaller airports can still be a free-for-all for unofficial transportation operators.

10. Police / Authority Shakedowns

Not super common, but it happens:

“You violated ___” (fictional)
“We can settle here” (also fictional, also illegal)
Traffic cops extorting payments
Neighbors making fake complaints with police accomplices

Usually, being calm and law-aware makes them back off.

11. Bar Scams

Happiest place for unhappy foreigners.

Variants:

Surprise “lady drinks” at 5–10× price
Being billed for drinks you didn’t order
Getting locked in until you pay
The “barfine confusion” scam
Theft by escorts or “friends” you met 45 minutes ago. Most of the hotels popular with foreigners have safes in the closets—use it.

If you walk into a bar and everyone looks way too friendly?

They don’t like you — they like your wallet.

Red Flags

Regardless of the situation, always keep these things in mind.

Money, fees, or bills come up fast.
They rush the relationship.
They avoid transparency.
Everything is an emergency or urgent.
They talk big without evidence.
They ask you to trust them “because of love.”
They pressure you to keep things secret.
They want things put in their name.
You feel a guilt trip or emotionally manipulated.
They seem too friendly / too helpful.
They have no consistent job or income.
You’re always paying.
They get angry when you say “No”.
Locals warn you about them.

Sumary

The Philippines can be safe and great — but it’s also a scammer’s playground for clueless foreigners. The pattern is always the same: If someone tries to help you with money, documents, love, business, property, or fast services, just assume they’re helping themselves first.

Living in the Philippines as a foreigner myself for six years has been great, but it would have been really helpful if someone had shared these points with me beforehand. You don’t have to go through these challenges alone!

Thinking of Moving to the Philippines? Get Reliable Guidance.

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