Beware: scammers are all around now, especially that it's Christmas season.
The terrible things happen to good people. However, this is not my story.
I have been working for the hotel and restaurant industry for only two months. I have only heard of scams happening to friends and I do not have the slightest idea on how they operate until recently.
A friend of mine works as an account executive for one of the hotels the company I work for owns. Her job involves talking to clients and getting clients.
The Gang
My friend, R, was befriended by this woman who goes by the name Sonia Romero. Ms. Romero claims to be working for NLEX and its team. Romero claims she is from Cebu and will be working in Manila for a few days with some of her colleagues. She has with her three of her kids.
The Ploy
She will befriend one of the staff. She will ask about long-staying rates and other promos which the hotel offers. She will tell her friend from the staff, in this story my friend R, that some of her friends plan to check in the hotel for a long period of time and will take up a few rooms. Naturally, this means a notable account for the said friend/account executive. The con artist will act to gain the victim's trust. Either by introducing the AE to her kids and talking about her fake life. She asked for random requests such as lugaw from the kanto, a hair clip, and a van to be used for when her kids will decide to go to Enchanted Kingdom the following days.
She paid for her first two nights of stay in the hotel. Making it seem like she is a legitimate customer.
The Execution
The day before she leaves the hotel her kids will be fetched from the hotel. She will claim that they need to be going someplace--her children. That night, she then decided to borrow my friend's laptop saying that she needs to be doing some papers considering that the work week is about to commence. My friend naturally would let their guest borrow her laptop so as to please the client.
The next morning, she pays the hotel a cheque and claims to just be going to church. The check is from a closed account. My friend's laptop along with some other things were stolen from her.
Oh, crap.
Much as we would like to think that our parents had raised us well imparting the age-old knowledge of never trusting strangers, we can not help it.
Terrible things happen to good people. I would like to think I am a good person, now I am afraid.
In other news, my birthday is about to come up. Have you thought of what gift you would like to give me? :D
The terrible things happen to good people. However, this is not my story.
I have been working for the hotel and restaurant industry for only two months. I have only heard of scams happening to friends and I do not have the slightest idea on how they operate until recently.
A friend of mine works as an account executive for one of the hotels the company I work for owns. Her job involves talking to clients and getting clients.
The Gang
My friend, R, was befriended by this woman who goes by the name Sonia Romero. Ms. Romero claims to be working for NLEX and its team. Romero claims she is from Cebu and will be working in Manila for a few days with some of her colleagues. She has with her three of her kids.
The Ploy
She will befriend one of the staff. She will ask about long-staying rates and other promos which the hotel offers. She will tell her friend from the staff, in this story my friend R, that some of her friends plan to check in the hotel for a long period of time and will take up a few rooms. Naturally, this means a notable account for the said friend/account executive. The con artist will act to gain the victim's trust. Either by introducing the AE to her kids and talking about her fake life. She asked for random requests such as lugaw from the kanto, a hair clip, and a van to be used for when her kids will decide to go to Enchanted Kingdom the following days.
She paid for her first two nights of stay in the hotel. Making it seem like she is a legitimate customer.
The Execution
The day before she leaves the hotel her kids will be fetched from the hotel. She will claim that they need to be going someplace--her children. That night, she then decided to borrow my friend's laptop saying that she needs to be doing some papers considering that the work week is about to commence. My friend naturally would let their guest borrow her laptop so as to please the client.
The next morning, she pays the hotel a cheque and claims to just be going to church. The check is from a closed account. My friend's laptop along with some other things were stolen from her.
Oh, crap.
Much as we would like to think that our parents had raised us well imparting the age-old knowledge of never trusting strangers, we can not help it.
Terrible things happen to good people. I would like to think I am a good person, now I am afraid.
In other news, my birthday is about to come up. Have you thought of what gift you would like to give me? :D