Complaints of a supposed resort in Antipolo City, Rizal scamming interested Filipinos appeared online.
A Reddit user on Wednesday, September 18 shared their experience of attempting to book White Pearl Resort for their daughter’s birthday.
The Redditor said that they were “too busy” to arrange a site visit and regrettably relied on the pictures on their Facebook page.
They were later told by a friend that there was a post of complaints about the resort.
“Search niyo na lang, super dami ng [social media] post. I should have researched. So ayun, goodbye P16k [16,000]. Sharing for awareness,” the Redditor wrote on the r/Philippines subreddit.
They also posted a screengrab of a fund transfer they did with the resort.
I was scammed by a resort in Antipolo
byu/cashmeousside888 inPhilippines
In the discussion thread, the Redditor said they would “file a report” with CIMB Philippines, the bank to which they transferred money for the resort.
They also said they would be going around Antipolo to personally look for another resort where they could spend their daughter’s birthday.
One of the screengrabs uploaded by the Redditor featured a Facebook post of a Filipino inquiring if the White Pearl Resort was “legit.”
“Legit po ba ang White Pearl Resort sa 427 Everlasting St, Antipolo City? Nagtanong ako kung [pwede] mag-site visit ang pay the reservation personally, blinock na ako,” the Facebook user wrote.
The Facebook post also had comments of others sharing similar experiences.
“Scam po ‘yan, galing po kami [diyan] kagabi para magpa-book Wala naman resort sa lugar na ‘yan, ginamit lang ‘yung address. Madami daw nagpupunta dun na na-scam, sabi ng kapitbahay,” another user wrote.
Last August, a Facebook user warned the public about the same resort, showing screengrabs of their conversation.
The resort was unprofessional in its messages, using words like “huhu” and “hala ma’am.”
There were also comments from Filipinos having similar experiences with White Pearl Resort.
“Muntik na din kami ngayon. Kaya pala ayaw magpa-ocular. Ayaw mag-receive ng cash payment,” a Facebook user said on Sept. 4, 2024.
“Ingat na lang, muntik na din kami, now lang. Sinasabi may kasabay daw na company for reservation kaya inaatat kami. Nagbigay ng [GoTyme] account, sabi ko [hingan] ng bank account, ayaw mag-provide. Nakakaduda lang. Buti nag-search ako bago pa mag-send ng reservation wife ko,” another user wrote on the same date.
“Na-scam din po kami. Please help, nag-down [downpayment] po kami ng 8k [8,000],” commented another Filipino before.
A different Facebook user also posted about the resort on September 4.
“Don’t [you] ever trust this Facebook page. This is a scammerrrr,” she wrote.
“Muntik pa kami, huhuhu, sabi [niya] available daw ‘yung target dates namin. Nung nagsabi ako [nang] open ba mag-occular visit, biglang may nagpapa-book na daw,” another user commented, sharing a screengrab of their conversation.
A Facebook user also shared of almost being victimized by the report. She also raised awareness about a resort whose pictures were being stolen by the White Pearl Resort.
“Muntik na kami. Kaloka, buti nakahanap kami sa iba. Ito’ yung totoong page na ninakawan nila pics,” she wrote.
Another resort speaks
Last August, South Villa Private Resort in Cagayan de Oro warned the public of their images being “used by scammers to deceive people.”
“This is a serious matter, and we urge everyone to stay vigilant. Your trust in us is paramount, and we are working tirelessly to address this issue swiftly,” the resort said on Facebook.
“Please be cautious and report any suspicious activities involving our brand immediately. Thank you so much for your continued understanding and support,” South Villa Private Resort added.
It also shared White Pearl Resort’s Facebook page and asked for help reporting it to stop its “fraudulent activities.”
A sample of the photo grabbing could be seen on a Facebook post by White Pearl Resort on Tuesday, September 17, when it uploaded pictures of guests enjoying a swimming pool.
“What a beautiful day to enjoy the ambiance of White Pearl Resort in its finest appearance. For bookings, don’t hesitate to send us a message,” the resort said on Facebook.
But the photos were initially posted by the South Villa Private Resort last August, when it promoted its services.
