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Philippine Comprehensive Investigation Services (covers the entire Philippines Service List)

 

CyberBrideInvest@gmail.com

 

INVESTIGATOR PHILIPPINE DIVISION - SERVICE LIST

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR PHILIPPINES BUSINESSES

- Credit Investigation, Philippines
- Bank Loans and Mortgaged Verification, Philippines

Includes all types of Loan expose to all Bank and Financial Institution in the Philippines. Both Corporate and Individual Accounts in the Philippines. Find out what you need to know before committing your hard earned money.

- Bank Checking / Verification, Philippines
- Bank Accounts or Deposit Verification
- Credit Card Verification

All Major Credit Cards issued in the Philippines and it’s affiliates. Balance, Status, Payment records and even Transaction records.

- Credit Reference Checking, Philippines
- Trade Checking

Verification on subject Business Trade Reference and dealing with their clients and suppliers.

- Business Verification
- Financial Investigation
- Business / Corporate legality to operate.
- Tax Records / Social Securities

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

- Personal Data and Neighborhood Verification
- Personal Information Gathering
- Negative Information Verification
- Court / Judicial / Criminal Records Verification
- Skip Missing Person
- Discreet and Open Inquiry
- Ocular Inspection of subject address.
- Employment Records
- Financial / Credit Status
- Marital and Civil Status
- Family Background
- Educational records
- Resume Verification
- Telephone records inquires

LITIGATION ASSISTANCE

- Garnishment Case
- Witness / Plaintiff Locating
- Evidence Gathering
- Case background and Profiling
- Legal Process Server
- Other legal assistance

MARKET RESEARCH

- Vendors Research
- Market Surveys
- Analysis / Profiling

SURVEILLANCE

- Foot and Vehicle Surveillance
- Short Term- Long Term
- Penetration or infiltration
- Video / Photo Operation
- Tailing
- Group / Company infiltration

ASSETS TRACING

- Real Estate Property Checking
- Motor Vehicle Checking
- Financial Verification
- Money markets
- Bonds, Stock Market, Club Shares and Membership

PROPERTY APPRAISAL AND VALUATION

- Real Estate and Motor Vehicle Inspection
- Market Survey / Valuation / Appraisal

DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL

- Government Agency
- Private Companies / Corporation
- All Private and Public documents in the entire Philippines.

DEBT / COLLECTION RETRIEVAL

- Skip Tracing
- Collection and legal notices serving
- Monetary collection
- Repossession (With Sheriffs or Extra Judicial Force)

INSURANCE INVESTIGATION

- Status Inquires of Individuals and companies seeking insurance claims.
- Covert Inspection of location and place of insured.
- Investigating suspicious and possible fraudulent claims.
- Data and Documents gathering for insured claimants.

DUE DILIGENCE

- Determine potentially critical problems in all financial and non financial transactions.
- Evaluation of credibility and uncovering true business intention.
- Insight of murky data with questionable background.
- Uncover kept documents and other details.

DONOR PROJECT INVESTIGATION

- Impact Assessment
- Funding Inquiry – Financial Project Site Audit
- Monitoring Performance
- Background Information Verification
- Evaluation of Performance

RISK ASSESSMENT / ANALYSIS /SECURITY PROGRAM

- Risk Management
- Security Measures

These includes the corporate offices, factories, project sites, shipping and areas of public access to examine such key points of the following concern; • Architectural elements • Security Staffing • Local threats ( Criminal Elements and Insurgents) • Vehicular and Pedestrian Access control • Supplies, material, mail and Shipment handling.

- Security Audit

EXECUTIVE PROTECTION / PERSONAL SECURITY

- Body guarding / VIP Security
- Travel Security
- Event Security (Concerts, Program, Live Shows and Other Event)
- Cargo and Freight Security (Land , Sea and Air Transport)

Protection and Security for both Individuals and groups.

TRAINING AND SEMINARS

- Investigation
- Commercial Intelligence
- Interrogation
- Security Measures and Assessment

How Can You "Investigate," a Filipina You Love, Care for, Want to Bring Home to your Country

Some guys are so lonesome, they just rejoice that anyone will marry them, put up with them, have a kind word for them.

If you saw the classic comedy, "Some Like It Hot," with Jack Lemon, Joe E. Brown and Tony Curtis, you may remember the final scene. It illustrated humorously the desperation of the aging millionaire, played by Joe E. Brown, comedian of yesteryear. Joe E Brown was famous for his unending wide smile. Earlier in the movie, Joe E. picked up and romanced Tony Curtis in drag, proposed marriage to him. Tony was no "queen," only in drag, dressed as a sexy young woman. Why was the handsome young man dresses so if her were not gay. Tony and is friend, played by Jack Lemmon found it was the only way a dirt poor male musician could get a job was in a "girl's band." Girl's band were very popular at that time, I think the 20's. Of course, Tony could not pull the scam any longer when in the boat with Joe E. Brown on his way to Joe E's waiting yacht to be married.

Tony Curtis said, "Sir, I got to tell you something."

Joe E. said, "Shoot honey," as he broadly smiled and steered his speeding sailboat towards the lengthy yacht.

Tony said, "Sir, I hate to tell you this. . . but, . . err. err, uh, . . . I am a man! I am so sorry but I had to do it to get a job in a band, not to deceive you."

Joe E, smile his usual wide smile, not taking his eyes off the looming yacht he was speeding toward hand steady on the wheel. His smile still broad as he unflinching responded, " Nobody's perfect."

It was a perfect ending for a comedy classic or maybe a comic tragedy if it happened to you really. But Our life's commitments, no mater what a great sense of humor we may have, how tolerant we are, is not always comedic. There are some serious decisions to make, especially when it comes to permanent binding relationships.

We all know is hard indeed to accept your "honey" on the Net is really a guy. That is more than a turn off, may make your blood boil. And if you have send money to buy drugs for the "girls," you may think of getting a gun.It is almost as hard if she is married and in cahoots with her husband bilking many foreigners. It is hard if she is put up to deceiving you and others by her boyfriend, family or some older woman who has power over her as often the case in the Philippines. Filipinas do what "auntie" or what ever older woman who guides them says. And auntie could be greedy, working like a "mamasan" but working the Net, not the streets. It is the same thing, has the same evil results for you and the Filipina.

No mater how hard it is, you owe it to yourself to have your friend checked out. Even if you come here meet the girl here, you may not know. I married a girl who I though had never been married (she had not) but found out two years later she had three children. And that was after we moved to the States. She lied about her age, here businesses, her jobs, or maybe it was just an exaggeration. She did have a store, but it was not as she implied like Rustan's or Bloomingdale’s. It was an under stocked sari sari store with holes in the road in front of it so deep people and jeeps could not past, cattle could drown in the rainy season. I did not care she was broke. It was the constant lies or “exaggerations.” I was in so deep it took me seven years to get out. Finally I got her a job as a stock broker where exaggeration paid big money and we both were happy when our divorce finally came through. She returned to the Philippines and married the married father of her children. Then she got him to the States. Then he left her and then got his wife and other children to the States. I was not there for that soap opera, thank goodness but over here, swearing never to get married again. But you know the guys who say “Never!” are the first ones to fall. It took me about two years for my second Filipina. But that is for another time.

If only I would not have counted on the US State Department’s cursory investigation. To bad I was not advised and was not smart enough to have someone who was professional and cared enough to find the truth for me. Then I would not have lost those important years with someone who was using me.

If you are a woman marring someone you meet in the Net you need to know too. Is the man marrying you for nefarious reasons? If so, it is so hard to tell. And maybe you are so much in love, like Joe E in the movie, you just don't care. But Joe E. had no alternative at hand nor do most in the States. Here there are many available women who would like to marry decent, kind and loving foreigners and not only for money and personal gain.

There are just too many good women here to be swindled by one of the few bad ones. I know how hard it is, how quickly men are to forgive, how they think they can change a bad girl to be good. But why not make it easy on yourself. Maybe you can’t think of it this way because of your cultural conditioning in the States. You can change your thinking to help someone else. You can reward a decent girl with you love and affection, one who will appreciate you, really love you. You think you are no prize. He you are, an foreigner in the Philippines.

Even if you have a lot invested in your present relationship you need to bite the bullet and check out your friend, mate, or spouse. Successful people cut their losses short; know how to take a loss. That is the main difference between those who are happy and those who are not. It is okay to lose a little and be able to get in the game again and win what you want, need and deserve.

I live here. I know there is more than one woman here for you who is just what you want, who will make your life happier, who will make you swoon and make you a good kind decent honest loyal girlfriend or wife. Don't grab the first one who says yes just because you "need” someone. If you "need," you will probably grab the first one you ask if you do as even one. Most on the Net will say yes, if not immediately, soon enough. And they may say send money too. Or they may wait until later when they have your trust to mention they are a little short of cash, or that the carabao died. “Oh, she never asked me for money, not a cent.” I hear that so often. But if I ask if they ever sent any, “Oh, yes, but not much, She needed tuition for school, some transportation money and she lives far out. She had some medical problems too. So did her mom. Yes, I sent some but she never asked for a centavo!” Humm. She did not have to!

When you make a permanent investment of your emotions, time and money in a relationship be sure you do it with a person who deserves what you want to give. You are valuable, especially in a country where all the men are not noted for being as kind and generous as Westerners.

Too many foreigners get burned, scared, hurt badly and it need not be that way. Yes, it hurts badly if you are one of the one out of five who find they are involved with a married woman who is lying to them, a gay passing himself as a woman, or a girl who's only looking for a ticket out of the country to meet her boyfriend in your country. But it hurts more if you get more involved, consummate the permanent commitment, only to find out later things are not as you see them. Take my advice and the advice of most others on the groups, at least the wise ones and the dumb ones like me, more than once burned.

I have a friend who came over recently for the eighth time, this time to stay. We talked yesterday. He is here for good now, just rented a condo he loves. On his eight trips visiting here and when in the States he interacted almost exclusively with Internet girls. He estimated that more than 90 percent were involved in some kind of scam. And 90 percent we put up to it by others. This he found sometimes before but mostly when he came her and met the girls, not just in Manila, Cebu and Davao, but even in the smaller cities. Maybe your "Net friend" is in that 10 percent of "good girls." But remember, it is not the Filipina style for the woman to search for a male. They are by culture,pakipot, play or are hard to get. And just being on the Net, having access to it puts them in a different category than the average Filipina.

Email CyberBrideInvest@gmail.com now. Tell Jeff http://www.livinginthephilippines.com sent you. Join our mailing list at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LivingInThePhilippines3 so you can get your discount. Join for free and learn more about the nuances of the Filipino culture, the Filipino, Filipina and FilAm Fil-Foreigner relationships.

Don Herrington August, 2009

Below are more thoughts shared with you regarding relationships and romance Filipino style, Filipina Brides, below:

 

WARNING: Watch out for Trisha, Janet, Myra and others.

by: Don Herrington Sept. 17, 2006

American Guy Gets Stung by pros in chat room and tells at least part of the story to help others: New Scam?


It is not easy to do for anyone to say I was fooled, scammed, duped especially when it turns out the scam was so obvious. And with the help of an investigator it would not have happened. But the mark said," No, not my girl! Mine is not one of those!"

Guys who get cheated, hurt, lose money, time and suffer the pain and frustration from online romances usually keep there mouth shut. It is reasonable to ashamed they were so foolish. Some are will not even accept it, stay in denial even after the cards are turned up on the table for all to clearly see!

Timothy Devaney should be thanked for his transparency. Maybe he was angered because of his loss of money more than lose of his Filipina Chat mate. Most men are shattered emotionally too. Net relationships can be as torrid and as deep as face to face, sometimes even more so. Your mind can construct the perfect mate for you, the perfect lover, the perfect friend your dream girl. Such a person does not have to even exist for you to fall hard for her, as we can see from Tim's tale.

True, some are lucky with on line dating: no lies, no deception, honest truth. But everyone does tend to show there best side and play down their worst. dating can help you to find Unless you are very careful, use professional help, Tim was not and did not until too late, you could lose your life savings, even go in debt. And worse you could fall prey to extortionists and scam artists targeting those in search of true love and affection. You can even get set up with an underage girl. You can be met by her and some fake "authorities," who may handcuff you and threaten you with jail. It pays to be careful before the initial meeting. Net cams can deceptive, photos and such. So may of the girls look the same to us, long black hair, and they are masters of make up. But a Net Cam can be very helpful. Be sure to use one. But the girl who can afford to use the Net Cam is likely to have many guys either on the hook or hooked. Of course it is best to come over to search for your true love or just some over and let her find you. But that is a "luxury," many do not believe they can afford. I don't agree but I will certainly admit meeting a Filipina girl in person is not the only way to success;

One sure way to find out what is going on it to get a reputable ( CyberBrideInvest@gmail.com ) Philippine detective agency to check the girl and the situation out.The girl could be a pawn. This is a strange country and young women do what there elder tell them without question. Questioning mama and daddy, even uncle or aunt is just not done. You don't want to 1, lose your money, 2.Lose your heart, 3. Suffer anxiety and pain; 4. And for sure you don't want to go to jail when you are the victim! Thank goodness Tim did not suffer the latter. Some so.

Tim, 44 years old is freelance journalist from San Francisco, California. He found his Filipina Net Pal and fiancée to be after a 20-year-old Filipina became his online "girlfriend".

He had no idea he was being duped, even robbed until he flew to Manila to meet his Net girlfriend, allegedly nursing student from Mandaue City, August 2006.

Tim did not rush into this. After more than six months of what came to be romantic e-mails and hours of chat loving chat and enchanting chat during which he was charmed, he was astounded to find out that his "Net Filipina girlfriend/fiancée," his love with whom he had been sending substantial to through a money transfer service did not even exist!

Devaney, being a decent guy, wanting to help others while knowing that all he can now do is warn everyone of the Internet Filipina Girl scam, went to the Makati City Police Department, There he told the authorities of his sad love story.

Tim said he met Trisha de la Torre at a chat room in December 2005. The photo of the stunning Filipina stood out among the others. It quickly let him to the start of their online friendship.

The friendship deepened. And he was please his Net Mate, fiancée to be he had never met in person was a nursing student at a university in Mandaue City, Cebu.

Devaney told Makati Manila police officers he sent her money to buy a cellular phone and other items. And he also paid for her tuition. It was common to send her 200 dollar or 300 through money transfer.

Tim said he sent more than 400,000 pesos during the "relationship". (Maybe it is a lot more. When in love a lot of us don't count coins, happy we can help our beloved, especially if she is doing a wonderful thing like going to nursing school.)

And after a year and a half of chatting, becoming more an more serious, sending more and more money, investing more and more emotionally too, he decided to meet De la Torre. She agreed to meet him last July 27 in Cebu City.

He later found out that the girl of his dreams was not of this world. She was only a dream, or at least only a photo. She is a girl he never talked to, maybe more than one of many.

Devaney, who is stayed in Makati, will go back to go back to the US. He told policeman that he realized he was conned when he saw five other names in the chat room using the same picture of the pretty Filipina.

" I don't expect to get my money back, "Devaney told The Philippine STAR. He adding that he found the same girl in several other Internet dating sites like myspace.com,

Filipina Friend, Friendfinder and Foreign Bride.

Authorities said it would be difficult to determine the crime committed since the scam was committed in cyberspace between the US and Cebu. All this is after the fact, like closing barn door when the horses have run away. But maybe is he like most. So enthralled with his new found love he did not want to know the truth. Please, if you have that problem, don't wait too late.

This should serve as a warning," police said as Devaney's case was placed on official police record, all they could do.

The American said a Filipino, he assumed, identified as "Badoy Pogi" is responsible for the so-called scam. This operator allegedly has some 200 plus girls at myspace.com and maybe other. The word is out that this is an easy way for an enterprising young man to manipulate young trusting women. So this M.O. is escalating and probably if not already will become big time business. They will expand into extortion if not there already.

Tim "I think he's running the scam. I think he pays for the photos and makes a bunch of profiles, "Delaney said, He adding that he searched for Trisha in other sites and found out that she uses and names Janet, Myra and others.

This would have never happened. And if he wanted a quality Filipina, wanted to be sure she even existed, he could have already had one buy using the services of a good private detective agency. No need to lose anything materially or emotionally or to end up in as a victim in jail as can happen. It will probably not. But be safe. Do not run the chance of letting it happen to you. The company I mention above is a US owned company, not mine. But I know the US owner and know you will get a professional investigation with no overkill, "Just the facts, mam," and a value too. I do due diligence on every company I recommend. And this one is on of the best and on of the most important to you life here in the Philippine I will ever recommend, not even second to Dr. Chua the heart surgeon. And I am not kidding.

Best of luck to you in your romance in the Philippines. May it be a much different story than Tim has to tell. Not one of sadness, lost money, time and crushed dreams of a partner for life. There is one for you. Be sure to get her, not an imaginary one. If you have question in your mind right not, bite the bullet and find out the truth no mater how much it hurts. It will only hurt for a little while, if it does. And there are so many wonderful Filipinas here who will treasure you, believe me. I am here and I know. Ask the other guys too to check me and what I say out.

September 17, 2006

 

The case of Bennie and "Sweetlove."

It was 1904, shortly after I moved to Cebu City from Angeles City. I guess http://www.livinginthephilippines.com was only a few misspelled pages then; The list was at www.listbot.com, now a defunct listserver, had maybe 300 members. I could deal with that many and still have a life.

On of the List's member's, Bennie, not his real name but close, called me. Bennie told me he was a livinginthephilippines list member, needed some advice about how to get his girl friend to the States with him and if it was a good idea. He wanted to marry her and live here. But she wanted to go to the States, said it would be better for her daughter. I did not agree with that assessment, believe the way schools here teach interpersonal skills and responsibility to family is more just as important as the what I feel is mythical academic superiority of the U.S. Schools. But that was not my business so I did not comment. I just invited Bennie over. He asked he could bring his girlfriend and the 14 year old daughter. I said, "Of course. I have a wife and other Filipinas to entertain them while we talk."

At first Bennie wanted both he and the girlfriend to talk with me. I really liked to talk with they guy alone, then the girl, have my helpers, wife, or other Filipina talk to both alone too. Sometime we compared notes and discovered strange inconsistencies, sometimes just misunderstanding. Men and women see things differently, of course, So do Filipinas and American men, Filipinos and American or other Western women. It is a challenge to deal with two cultural gulfs, indeed.

Finally I got Bennie aside and we talked. Bennie was 65 years old at the time, pitch black dyed hair, yet a handsome guy, less wrinkled than I was though I was younger. He could have been an aging movie star. But he was just a regular guy, did a lot of things from long haul truck driving, stock trading, was in a management job for a large industrial giant and picked up a substantial pension there. I had no information on the girl friend, admitting to 40 but looking older, frayed, though well dressed with Bennies pension money. The girl, Judilyn was an angel. Bennie was mesmerized by her. I felt maybe the innocence and brilliant beauty of Judilyn him dazzled to the point he missed the flaws in the mother, Sweetlove. He mentioned Judilyn in awe, "When she see me, she take my hand and hold it to her forehead, Man, what a fantastic child, how outstanding!" I told him later, that was the custom here. That if a child did not do that to someone older to whom they owed "utang na loob," they would be considered insolent. Children are raised to respect their elders here. And it extends even to there peers. But I guess they are not really any "peers." because of the practice, custom, cultural demand. It reminds me of the US Army, where on Private First Class may have a days seniority on the other guys the same rank he with whom he is bar hopping or taking a vacation even. And he is responsible in part for the deeds of the others. But respect from a child is impressive to an older American, though expected here. I am still in awe sometimes myself.

So, was it the little girl who Bennie wanted or Sweetlove. After I talked with him I could see he had bonded with them both. I knew no mater what I said or did, he would end up in the States with Sweetlove and Judilyn, And maybe they would be happy.

I notice one of my sharpest helper, one who help me a lot on the website, not house work, was trying to catch my attention. She was only 18 but street-smart, a former student though only one year in criminology. She had been talking with the other girls to Sweetlove. I excused myself, went to talk with her "about the website," I told Bennie.

She told me under her breath, "Sweetlove wants to go to the States to be with her husband there, a Filipinos who is "TNT," there, "Tago ng Tago," (hiding from immigration, "overstayer",) in the States.

Filipinas are like sisters. But the Filipina helper was loyal to me and told me the sad truth. Of course I felt it was incumbent on me to advise Bennie of what I was told, even if not true. I explained first to him that there were so many beautiful women available, might be a good idea to shop around. He scowled at me like I was a pimp trying to sell me a fat old hooker. I mentioned so many young women has young children, even more than one, children much like Judilyn who need help. The scowl deepened, black dyed eyebrows furrowed even more.

I told him best we talk on the phone later. We had finished our coffee. But I would talk to Sweetlove first. She was charming but hollow, did not look me in the eyes. But that is not uncommon for some shy Filipinas. She swore her love for Bennie. Before I asked her she launched into a diatribe about how much her husband abused her and the Judilyn. At this time my helper was corroborating what Sweetlove told her with the daughter. The daughter said little about the father but that she miss him an "mama told me not to talk about him." She did say, "Mama says we will see him when Bennie takes us to the States." My helper said, "Judilyn is in on the plan but really does not understand it, not a bad bone in her body." We both thought Sweetlove had corrupted Judilyn but evidently not.

So I got a call from Bennie, broke then news as gently as possible, could tell how much he had bonded, could tell how sensitive he was. He was enraged, at me, not Sweetlove. What he said to me, I will not repeat. But soon he tired, slammed down the phone. I did not hear from him for a long time.

Two years later he call me, telling me he was back in town. He had a girl he met on the Net again, a really fantastic girl he wanted me to meet. And he said, "Oh, by the way. . . you remember that girl I brought by with her daughter? I said, I think so, Bennie, but that was a long time ago." He said, "She was a real bad girl. She cost me a lot of money to get rid of. And she had a boy friend too! She and Judilyn are with him now in the States. I will stay here this time, I think. That is, unless Marissa (his new flame) want to go to the States.

I said, "Good luck, Bennie." I felt this one I would leave to the professionals and learned that some guys never learn. In the face of love, loneliness and social alienation so many of us feel in the States when people are nice to us, too often our better judgment falters.

If you are like Bennie and so many others, and me, do be careful. Get a professional involved, someone detached who wants only to help you. And listen to them when they tell you the truth. So many times it is good news. But even if the words sting, take heed. Don't feel you can fix a bad girl by being good to her, showing her some men are really good. I tried that and it did not work; I gave it all I had, money time, effort and emotion. Maybe you can make a purse from a pigs ear. But there are so many kind loving women who really need you and will love and respect you. Get one of them. You fill fine one were the chemistry is just right for you both. Your best bet is to come over, meet them at churches, social functions, girls working hard in the offices, the stores at the mall, the fast food joints. Most have college education too. And they know older men are more stable, can be counted on.

Whomever you find have a disinterested objective party check them out, even though it may hurt. I bet if you are aware, it will not. I can tell you, I am a trainee psychologist. Only a Filipino can tell if a Filipino is lying. I am getting better I am not there.

Jeff at CyberBrideInvest@gmail.com will have qualified Filipinos, Filipina discreetly find out for you. In the Philippines there is no privacy; here there are no secrets, but from those of a different culture. You need Jeff. I wish he and his staff was available when I need him. It would have allow me to find my happiness sooner.

Don, July 2009

 

Dating Over The Internet

Dating over the Internet is the newest romancing trend. It can be the way of finding the girl of your dreams, followed by the “happily ever after” life, or it can be a terrible nightmare, with accompanying emotional and financial disaster.

After retiring from a job as chief of criminal investigations and intelligence in the US, I joined as a partner with Filipino friends of mine in a company involved in corporate fraud and background investigations. I soon talked my partners into venturing into the Internet bride scene. The reason for this came because of late-night discussions with Don Herrington, the owner of www.livinginthephilippines.com. He related to me some horror stories of nice guys being scammed by ruthless individuals. I had heard similar stories before, and also some real success stories. Anyway, I decided that someone needs to be out there helping the guys to find out who their on-line love really is.

What began as a minor sideline in our company, has grown big over the past couple of years. These days we average around ten investigations monthly. We are doing these all the way from Northern Luzon to Southern Mindanao. We have relied on word of mouth from former clients as opposed to advertising. We believe strongly in the concept that a satisfied client is one’s best advertisement. And so far we have apparently been correct.

We have uncovered a lot of scams in the past years. We have also given many guys peace of mind and relief from suspicions and unwarranted jealousy. An interesting fact is that the ones who get a positive report send nice thank you letters. The ones who have found out they have been lied to or scammed usually drop out of sight with not a single word of appreciation for us saving them a lot of future grief (and money).

Here are some examples of cases we have handled:

A man from Arizona had been corresponding with a lady from Cebu City for a year and a half. He was already deeply in love with her, and was making plans for marriage, US visa, etc. However, she was becoming evasive as to going through the visa process, so he wanted her checked out. She had told him that she was employed as an instructor in one of the local private schools, and was pursuing her Master’s degree in education at a college here, attending mostly weekend classes. She said she was living in a nice condo in the city, which actually was owned by her former husband, a Filipino-American, who was now practicing dentistry in California. She had sent multiple photos of herself, a beautiful Filipina in her late twenties, to the American boyfriend.

THE TRUTH: The lady was fifty plus years old. She was married to an alcoholic husband (government employee) with three adult children. Her detailed knowledge regarding the private school and the curriculum for the Master’s degree came from her daughters. The photos were of a Filipina movie and TV starlet. She lived in a small house about a mile from the condo. She was a very lonely woman who had created a fantasy life for herself on the Internet. Positive: She never asked for money. Negative: The American boyfriend was emotionally devastated.

A man from Australia was in love with a girl from Minglanilla, just outside Cebu City. After a few months of e-mailing her, he visited the Philippines and met up with her in Manila. Three weeks of bliss. After that he decided that he was going to process the visa for her to travel to Australia. Easy, she was a nursing graduate after all. After sending her money for visa application, attorney’s fees, for an operation she had to have because the doctor had found blood clot in her breast, he finally sent her ticket and travel money to come to Australia. She never showed up in Australia, so he got concerned that something had happened to her. He wanted us to check on her welfare, he still believed everything she had told her, and was deeply in love. We started the investigation when he got a cell-phone call from her “sister”. The crying “sister” told him that his love had traveled to Australia via Canada, got into a car accident there and was in Intensive care in a hospital. She needed money urgently to fly to Canada and be with her sister. I advised the Australian boyfriend to hold off a little sending more money until we find out some facts.

THE TRUTH: The lady doesn’t exist. Anyone of that name never lived at the street address given. Had never attended the college named. She had sent the boyfriend scanned copies of her passport with visa, college diploma, nursing board certification, etc. All were forgeries. The photos were of a Filipina model, starlet of Pinoy Big Brother fame. She and her “sister” were the same woman.

Negatives: The Australian lost $16,000 plus months of deep love and affection. Positives: Nothing, except maybe justice as the case has been turned over to the NBI. Problem, it’s not illegal to accept money as gifts from a friend. The forged official documents were the only way to get her.

A man from Texas met this lady from Cagayan de Oro on the Internet. After months of chatting, he went to visit her. It was instant love because she was a beautiful woman. He went back to the US after his vacation, and became jealous. A woman like that, single, sexy, with all the men preying on her. She would not spend a single night with him in his hotel all the time he was visiting. Suspicious, maybe she had another man. He hired us to check on her daily and nightly activities. We found out that she was chaste, religious, only going out shopping or eating with her female co-workers and friends. A good woman all the way, only a little worried about the boyfriend’s jealousy. After he received our report, his attitude changed completely. They are now happily married.

Positives: A nice “thank you” letter and an invitation to their wedding. Negatives: Nothing.

There are so many more, they could fill an entire book. The lesson for all of us should be: Nobody knows who is at the other keyboard when you are thousands of miles apart. Check it out before you waste your time, love, emotions and money on something that only exists in your mind. Remember, there are thousands of beautiful, smart, honest, and wonderful women here, only waiting for the right guy to come along, and going to sleep every night praying for a nice foreigner to find them.