A day after The Global Filipino Magazine published a report about an alleged “raffle prize” scam operating in malls and public areas across Dubai, hundreds of Filipinos have stepped forward claiming they experienced the same scheme. The original post, published 19 hours ago, has already gathered 482 comments—many of them recounting eerily similar encounters.
In the initial report, the victim described how agents approached shoppers in malls, supermarkets, and food courts, asking them to fill out a “free raffle ticket.” Within 24 hours, they would receive a call claiming they won multiple prizes. Several commenters confirmed the same pattern.
One Facebook user wrote, “Totoo ’yan, dati nanalo din ako. Usually sa mga supermarket sila… tapos pag nag-claim ka na ng prize mo, meron pala silang minamarket. Tapos tatanungin ka if may credit card ka.” Another user echoed the same experience, saying, “Same… nilagay ko cleaner, walang tumatawag. Nilagay ko company owner, hala tawag nang tawag. Travel package agad.”
Several community groups online—including Facebook and Reddit—have ongoing threads tagging different “travel” agencies allegedly using the same strategy. Some posts claim people lost as much as AED 10,000 in these transactions.
Victims share almost identical stories
A recurring detail in many comments is the sudden shift from “free prize” to a pressured offer to buy a travel package.
One commenter said, “Ang ending daming offer at bayaran mo daw. Pag may tanong ka sa kanila, response nila sobrang provoking at rude. No way, big scam.”
Another user recounted attempting to claim a dhow cruise and movie voucher supposedly included in the prize: “Yes, sabi nila nanalo ako ng Dhow Cruise at movie voucher… pero nung pumunta kami, ang dami nilang offer. Buti na lang di kami nag-avail. Ang problema, hanggang ngayon wala pa rin yung dhow cruise at movie voucher—lagi daw fully booked. Five months na.”
Others said they were asked to bring their spouse to claim the prize—another tactic previously described by earlier victims.
Many say they were almost convinced—until the sales pitch turned aggressive
Several Filipinos admitted they were nearly persuaded to pay because of the convincing sales pitch.
One viewed it as psychological pressure: “Ang gaganda ng explanation at talagang maiinganyo ka. Kailangan mo maglabas ng malaking pera kasi promo daw na magkaka-expire that same day.”
Another shared a similar experience: “Bago mo makuha ang premyo, aalukin ka ng vacation trip worth 10k. Tapos sabi may promo na 7k na lang, 3 days 2 nights. Kung hindi ka matibay, lalabas mo talaga kung anong meron ka.”
A separate user recounted how the representatives allegedly reacted when she refused: “Kakapalan sila… sila pa galit. Parang mga holdaper. Buti na lang hindi ako nagpadala.”
Multiple cases allegedly filed
Some commenters claim they have already filed complaints against different agencies involved in similar schemes.
One wrote, “Nag-file na kami ng case. Sana mapanagot sila.”
Another said, “Madaming biktima. Hindi nila binabalik yung pera kahit ilang beses ka mag-follow up.”
Several users emphasized the importance of vigilance, with one commenter saying,
“If it’s too good to be true, and FREE, matic—scam. Search muna sa Google or Reddit.”
Another added, “#Awareness is the key. Mahirap na magtiwala ngayon.”
The stories seem to follow a consistent pattern:
- agents offering “free raffle tickets” in malls
- calls announcing instant prizes
- office visits leading to pressured travel package sales
- promises of refunds
- unreturned calls, unresponsive numbers, and unused vouchers
The volume and similarity of these testimonies have raised concerns within the Filipino community in Dubai, prompting calls for caution—especially for workers handling their hard-earned money.
