Loan Offer Is Sweet As Bait To Many In Inpoverished South

A cell phone text message allegedly from the Standard and Chartered is offering cash loan in the southern Philippines. Phone owners who receive this message say they have not provided personal information to the Standard and Chartered. Cell phone scams, from lottery winnings to raffle contests, have victimized many people in the Philippines. (Zamboanga Journal)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Zamboanga Journal / 19 May) A cell phone text message of a supposed cash loan from the Standard and Chartered Bank without any collateral have reached the southern Philippines and those who received the offer smell fraud.

The text message from cell phone number +63918 4720234 reads: Gud am! dis is jhenee carino, of standard and chartered, i jaz lyk 2 offer u CASH LOAN, u may kol me at my direct line 687 4911 or thru dis cel# or at my globe# 09158013491, kindly reply 2acknowledge, tnx and have a nice day."

But the Standard and Charted Bank in Makati City said it has no records of any employees by the name of Jhenee Carino.

Carino said they are offering cash loans without any collateral, but clients have to pay P1,500 as processing fee for the application and a set of post-dated checks once approved by the bank.

"All you have to do is to submit us your income tax statement and business permits, if you are a trader, and pay the necessary fee of P1,500 for the processing of the loan and post-dated checks, if the loan is approved."

"The good thing here is that you don't have to go to Manila, if you live in the southern Philippines or elsewhere to get your loan, we will mail a manager's check to you," she said.

The woman did not say how they were able to get the cell phone numbers of those they offered the loans. "Oh, we have a listing of names and phone numbers that we can call," she said.

She said her office is located in Ortigas Avenue in Pasig City, but would not say exactly where.

Standard and Chartered is a British bank headquartered in London with operations in many countries, including in Asia and Africa. Most of its profits are made in its markets in Hong Kong and Korea and other parts of Asia.

Many people in the Philippines have been victimized by syndicates through cell phone text messages, from lottery winnings to raffle draws from unknown companies, and tell their unsuspecting victims that they won tens of thousands of pesos, and usually require some amount as payment for taxes and to be deposited to a bank or send by mail.