Dozens of OFWs in Dubai seek help to track down Filipino ‘scammer’

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Around 70 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have banded together to go after a fellow Filipino who allegedly scammed them of a still undetermined amount through a modus involving the supposed purchase of airline tickets. According to the victims, a certain Joash Meil Calderon, supposedly an employee of an airline company, introduced himself as PJ and befriended them. Calderon would sell them legitimate airline tickets at cheaper rates to gain trust, at times with benefits like visas and hotel stays in another country. He also issued blank bank checks to bolster confidence. To target more people, Calderon would introduce himself to the victims’ acquaintances, based on the victims’ accounts. He would also shy away from selfies. After gaining their trust, Calderon would then allegedly present a proposal asking for money to fund airline tickets of nonexistent passengers, whose Dubai flights he was supposedly arranging through a tour company he was running. The victims paid from AED25,000 to AED160,000 (P417,000 to P2.67 million), channeled through a bank account. They were supposed to get higher returns for helping Calderon buy the airline tickets, but he just vanished after receiving the money, said the victims. The alleged scamming happened in a span of four months starting March. According to the victims, Calderon and an accomplice left Dubai for Manila on July 11. ‘Hard-earned money’ gone in an instant Maria Serna*, 47, reported losing AED160,000 to Calderon. She met him through a friend who bought an airline ticket from him. He supposedly told her that groups of people were coming to Dubai from the Philippines in June and December — the nonexistent passengers. “It’s hard-earned money. We’re far away from our families, and with all the pressures of work, the money was lost just like that,” said Serna in a mix of English and Filipino. “I no longer hope that my money would be returned, but I want him to be stopped so that no one else will be victimized.” Another victim, Rhea Ann Fuentes*, claimed she first bought tickets from Calderon in March then was scammed in June. “He said he was going to book a ticket. But he didn’t have enough money, so he borrowed from us and promised to return our money the next day, with a profit of AED1,000. A portion of the money we gave him was a loan from our in-laws, and we borrowed from a lending company, which we’re still paying off,” Fuentes said in a mix of English and Filipino. Arman Ibarra lost almost AED24,000 to Calderon, whom he came to know through a colleague, who also later on turned out to be a victim. He described Calderon as “convincing,” with a “calm and kind” tone. “We want our money back. Otherwise, we’d take legal action,” Ibarra said. Calderon’s mother reportedly works in Dubai as well. Rappler attempted to contact her, but she shut her Facebook account. A mutual friend tried to reach her on the phone, but she was not taking calls either. Labor Attaché John Rio Bautista urged the victims to seek assistance from the in-house lawyer of the Migrant Workers Office in Dubai, aside from reporting the matter to police. “We can issue an advisory, although we have previously issued one asking people to be careful in dealing with possible scams,” Bautista also told Rappler. – Rappler.com *Names have been changed to protect the identities of the victims.