The yellow basket is calling, the “Add to Cart” button is glowing, and your e-wallet is practically begging to be spent on that flash sale.
Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, Facebook Marketplace — they’ve turned shopping into an Olympic sport, complete with double-digit sale days and countdown timers that make your pulse race. But while millions of Filipinos are checking out their carts, scammers are checking out their bank accounts.
The Philippines now has the highest scam exposure rate in Asia at 35.9%, according to the 2023 Asia Scam Report. From iPads that turn out to be rocks to couriers delivering boxes full of air, online swindles have morphed into a high-volume hustle. And people are still getting caught.
This isn’t just about “gullible buyers.” It’s about how cultural habits, the explosive growth of e-commerce, and a lack of digital street smarts have all collided to create a scammer’s paradise.
From Sale Frenzy to Scam Central
The pandemic didn’t just accelerate online shopping — it catapulted it into daily life.
Philippine e-commerce sales hit $17 billion in 2021 with more than 73 million active users. Shopee and Lazada became part of the national routine, their sale jingles lodged in our heads like an inescapable earworm. But that boom came with a spike in complaints. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) logged 15,947 online transaction complaints in 2020 — a huge jump from pre-pandemic numbers. By 2022, almost 44% of all consumer complaints involved online purchases.
Big sale events like 11.11 and 12.12 made things even easier for scammers. When thousands of parcels are moving at once, a fake tracking number or a box swapped with junk slips through without raising immediate alarms. In scammer logic, the chaos is a cover.
From Lockdown Deals to Locked-In Scams
Ask any Filipino — a good bargain feels like winning a small lottery. S
cammers know this and dangle deals so absurd they make you ignore your better judgment. Many victims in the Asia Scam Report admitted they were hooked by massive discounts or freebies. Add in the “baka sakali suwertehin” mindset — the belief that maybe, just maybe, you’ll be the one who scores the legit 70%-off iPhone — and you’ve got a recipe for trouble.
FOMO makes it worse. The same report found 24.8% of Filipino victims clicked “buy” too quickly, pressured by flash sale timers or the fear of missing a deal. There’s also the trust factor: if a friend sends you a link, you’re more likely to believe it’s safe. Scammers exploit that trust, knowing most people don’t double-check before paying.
It’s not ignorance so much as emotion taking the wheel. That rush you get seeing “Only 2 items left!” is exactly what scammers are banking on.
Viral Budol Tales You Can’t Make Up
Nothing dominates Facebook timelines faster than a budol story. One viral case involved a Shopee buyer who opened their eagerly awaited a phone order only to find a chunk of rock inside. On TikTok, people have posted clips of themselves unboxing empty parcels that were supposed to hold brand-new electronics. Sometimes, fake delivery riders show up for Cash-on-Delivery transactions, take the money, and disappear — leaving buyers with boxes of literal garbage.
Then there are the fake job offers. Victims receive WhatsApp or SMS messages claiming to be from Shopee’s HR department, offering “easy part-time work” with high commissions. The “tasks” seem harmless until the scammer demands a small deposit to unlock your supposed earnings — at which point the cash, and the contact, vanish.
Prize notifications have also gone industrial. A text message announces you’ve won a Lazada raffle, complete with a link to claim your reward. That link is actually a phishing site designed to steal your login and banking details. The stories go viral not just because they’re outrageous, but because every Filipino shopper can imagine themselves one impulsive click away from the same fate.
Scammer Playbook: New Schemes, Same Goal
Fraudsters don’t stick to one play. They set up fake product listings for high-demand gadgets, using stolen photos and impossible discounts to reel people in — then either ship nothing or send trash.
Others send phishing messages pretending to be from Shopee or Lazada, urging you to “verify your account” through a fake login page. Some insist on bank or e-wallet transfers outside the platform to “secure the item,” cutting off any chance of platform-backed refunds.
Counterfeits are another favorite. Sellers advertise branded products at modest discounts, then deliver knock-offs without warranties. To look legit, they flood their page with fake five-star reviews that say nothing more than “Good product!” — hoping you’ll skim and trust.
Platforms Can Only Do So Much — The Rest is on You
The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) and DTI have urged consumers to report scams through hotlines like 1326.
Shopee and Lazada have rolled out verified seller programs — Shopee Mall and LazMall — plus stricter dispute resolution systems. But these protections only work if you stay inside the platform’s payment and messaging systems.
Once you hand over money outside those systems, recovery chances plummet, which is why the most powerful defense is still an informed buyer — someone who knows the red flags and isn’t afraid to walk away from a “too good” deal.
Check Twice, Pay Once
Shopping online doesn’t have to feel like a high-risk sport.
Stick to verified sellers with established ratings, and read reviews that have real photos from Filipino buyers. Compare prices before you believe that 80% markdown. Keep all communication and payments within the platform, and if you’re paying COD, inspect your parcel before handing over cash — bonus points if you record an unboxing video.
Guard your personal info like it’s your last peso in GCash. Ignore random “Congratulations!” texts, never share OTPs, and close any link that feels off. And if something does go wrong, report it — not just for your refund, but to keep the scammer from targeting someone else.
Final Checkout: Why Awareness Is Your Best Discount Code
The Philippines’ e-commerce scene isn’t slowing down, and neither are the people trying to game it.
Cultural love for bargains, a willingness to take chances, and gaps in digital awareness make local buyers a prime target — but those same traits can work in our favor when paired with caution and community awareness.
Every viral scam story is a free masterclass in what not to do. Share them, learn from them, and shop with your eyes open. The yellow basket will always be there, but whether you’re filling it with legit steals or scam regrets is up to how smart you play it.
