BY GEROME DALIPE IV
ILOILO City – This city government has issued a warning to the public about the proliferation of fraudulent online loan schemes targeting unsuspecting Ilonggos.
In an advisory, the city’s Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office (LEDIPO) said these online loan scammers require victims to send a deposit fee before the promised loan amount is disbursed.
The city government’s Business Permits and Licensing Division recently seized fake mayor’s permits and other business registration documents from several bogus online lending entities operating in the city.
“Victims are lured with promises of easy loans, while scammers use fake permits from the City Government of Iloilo’s Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO), and fake Business Name Registration from DTI Iloilo to appear legitimate,” the advisory read.
Some of these tactics being employed by the scammers include posting of sham loan promos on social media platforms like Facebook, Viber, and Telegram promising quick loans with low interest rates.
The scammers would then impersonate financial institutions or government bodies through apps like Viber and Telegram.
Some would even use fake profiles or fraudulent accounts to mimic official pages to deceive victims. They are using counterfeit permits from Iloilo City’s BPLO to create a false sense of legitimacy.
The city government urged residents to be cautious and to verify the legitimacy of any financial transactions they engage in online.
The public are advised to always verify the legitimacy of the transaction by confirming the authenticity of loan services directly with the issuing body.
They are also being urged to avoid making advance payments as legitimate loans don’t require upfront fees.
The public are also encouraged to report any suspicious activities to the authorities to prevent others from falling victim to these scams./PN
