(Infographics courtesy of BOC)
MANILA – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Wednesday cautioned the public against parcel or love scams amid the holiday season.
“Be careful of calls, messages, or emails saying you have a package or parcel pending with BOC and that you need to pay thru personal bank account or money remittance for it to be released,” it said in a social media post.
It added that scammers pretend to be either foreigners or BOC personnel.
It reminded the public that payments of duties and taxes are required to be paid at the BOC cashier or accredited banks.
“Payment of customs duties and taxes can only be done at the BOC cashier or through Authorized Agent Banks (AAB),” the Bureau said.
It noted the public may also check the website of the Department of Trade and Industry to verify if the courier or forwarder is authorized.
“In case you become a victim of this kind of fraud, check first the website if the said courier or forwarder is accredited. You may also contact BOC to verify if the receipt, tracking number, and other documents you received are genuine or fake information only,” it added.
The public may contact the BOC via landline 8705-6000 via email at [email protected] and http://customs.gov.ph. (PNA)
