As Valentine’s Day approaches, reports of online romance scams are rising, according to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC). CICC Undersecretary Renato Paraiso said during the Bagong Pilipinas public briefing that the agency has already logged at least 18 new cases in a single day. Authorities are actively blocking phone numbers and accounts linked to the scams and coordinating the takedown of fraudulent social media profiles. Paraiso warned that scammers are now leveraging artificial intelligence, including real-time deepfake technology, making video calls appear authentic and harder for victims to detect as fraudulent. He noted that common targets include Filipinos aged 40 and above—often referred to as “titos and titas”—as well as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), widows, widowers, and individuals seeking companionship online. Victims are typically financially drained over time until their savings are exhausted. The CICC urged victims to report incidents immediately via the hotline 1326 or through the agency’s official social media pages, emphasizing that reporting enables swift intervention and helps prevent further victimization.
