The Bureau of Customs (BOC) has warned the public against the so-called "love scam," in which victims are deceived into paying money for the supposed release of a parcel or gift allegedly being held by Customs.

Under this scheme, scammers use the name of the BOC to make their fraud appear legitimate and convince victims that they must pay fees before a package can be released.

The scam usually begins with an introduction on social media, messaging applications, or online dating platforms.

After gaining the victim's trust, the scammer claims to have sent gifts, jewelry, gadgets, cash, or other expensive items from abroad.

In some cases, scammers first send a small, legitimate parcel to gain the victim's confidence.

Eventually, someone contacts the victim by phone, text, or online message, pretending to be a Customs officer or BOC employee. The caller then claims that the package is being held by Customs and demands payment for duties, taxes, or processing fees before it can be released.

To make the scheme appear legitimate, scammers use fake invoices, shipping documents, tracking records, and even counterfeit tracking websites. Some also send edited photos of parcels or expensive gifts to convince victims that the shipment is genuine.

In reported cases, victims were instructed to send payments through personal bank accounts, e-wallets, or money remittance services. Some were even asked to make multiple payments for various alleged charges before the package could supposedly be released.

The BOC stressed that such transactions are not part of any official government process.

It also emphasized that no BOC employee or official is authorized to collect or accept payments through personal bank accounts, e-wallets, or money remittance services.

The bureau urged the public to remain vigilant when interacting with people online and to immediately report suspicious calls, messages, or emails using the name of the BOC to demand money.