The buyer and the seller, known only as "Mark," agreed that the mobile phone would be sold for a total of P11,000. The buyer would pay a down payment of P5,000 while the remaining balance of P6,000 would be paid to the delivery rider upon receipt of the phone.
According to the victim, he was sent a photo of the mobile phone for sale along with a Unified Multi Purpose ID bearing the seller's name. (We have obscured the information as we cannot confirm whether this is indeed the seller's real ID or a fake or stolen identity.)
Further, the seller on Facebook Marketplace claimed to be a resident of Avida Tower Condominium in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
The victim transferred P5,000 via the Pay Maya number provided by "Mark" after confirming that the mobile phone had been booked for delivery.
Moreover, the delivery rider called the victim informing him that the mobile phone was en route.
The rider also sent a photo with the phone to be delivered, further convincing the victim that the transaction was legitimate.
As the rider was nearing the delivery location, "Mark" abruptly demanded an additional P6,000 as full payment for the phone.
The victim refused, stating that they had agreed he would only provide the down payment and pay the balance upon receipt of the phone.
"Mark" then claimed that there were other buyers willing to pay more for the phone, thus supposedly recalling the rider due to the victim's refusal to send the full payment.
When the victim attempted to reclaim his initial payment of P5,000, "Mark" blocked him and removed the mobile phone post from Facebook Marketplace.
"Mark" also deleted all photos and other evidence of their transaction from their chat.
The victim has appealed to Taguig.com to help spread awareness about this incident by sharing his experience.
"Please post this so as to prevent others from becoming victims," said the victim.
For those who have fallen victim to scams, please reach out via hotline 1326 or the following numbers: 0947-714-7105 / 0966-976-5971 / 0991-481-4225.
(Photos supplied by the victim)
