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The chairman of the House Committee on Communications Technology has warned Filipinos against falling for so-called "love scams", which remain prevalent in the country.

"Huwag po tayong ma-fall sa ganitong modus. Iwasan po nating maging marupok at huwag basta-basta ibigay ang tiwala," Navotas City lone district Rep. Toby Tiangco said in a statement Thursday, Nov. 14.

(Don't fall for this modus. Let's not be fragile and avoid trusting people so easily.)

“Siyempre, sana all may love life pero ayaw natin na maloko lang ng pekeng pag-ibig ang mga kababayan natin. True love dapat ang mahanap nila, hindi kriminal,” he said.

(Of course, I hope everyone has a love life but we don't want our countrymen to be duped by fake love. They should find true love, not criminals.)

"Huwag po basta-basta magpadala sa damdamin. Hindi po sa lahat ng bagay, puso ang una nating paiiralin. Pinag-iingat natin ang mga kababayan natin dahil may mga masasamang-loob na patuloy na mananamantala kahit na alam nilang labag sa batas ang ginagawa nila." he noted.

(Let's not be swayed easily by our emotions. The heart shouldn't take precedence in everything. We want our countrymen to be careful because there are people who continue their evil ways despite their knowledge that it's against the law.)

Tiangco cited a study from a global information and insights company showing that, in the first half of the year, 18 percent of suspected digital fraud attempts in the communities sector—such as online forums and dating sites—originated from the Philippines.

“Scammers target even the most personal and basic aspirations of people – to be loved and be in a committed relationship. Let us protect Filipinos from the financial, emotional, and psychological damage these scams cause," added the veteran lawmaker.

According to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), love scams exploit victims by creating fake identities to build trust, then using the illusion of a relationship to manipulate, extort, or steal from them.

He reminded the public to stay vigilant and report suspicious messages and activities to the anti-scam hotline 1326.