This is a sticky post.
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I just lost a big sum of money and is trying to recover it from a guy named Karl Joseph R. Avinante.
We had a transaction. I was buying an item (from a new but persistent “online market place”). I asked for a discount from the original price. We agreed on the discounted price he gave. After i sent the money, he said that his wife got angry on the discount that he gave. I said that he should stick with the agreement. After several text messages, i called him up. I was able to talk to him. He said that he had asked his brother-in-law to send the item. I was asking for the tracking number but that’s when he stopped replying to my text messages and dropping my calls.
I don’t know if someone is just using his name or what, but it was his name and his account that I used to send the money.
I searched his name online and saw a person – one exact match for the name (including the middle initial) but i’m still hesitant to link it here or contact that person as he may be the wrong person (yeah even with the exact middle initial). His ad says he’s from central visayas but all the search results says he’s from Laguna.
I decided to post this because he has not replied to any of my text messages or my calls.
1. He disregarded our agreement – about the price and sending the unit after deposit
2. He could have told me that he changed his mind or wife still wants 12k BEFORE i deposited the money and not AFTER.
3. He lied when he said he already sent the unit thru his brother-in-law and made me believe that he was sending the unit when in fact he was not.
4. He could have offered for me to just add 1k instead of 2k just to continue with the transaction.
5. It seems he doesn’t want to talk to me – doesn’t reply to my text messages immediately – or not at all. Doesn’t answer my succeeding calls (only talked to him once). Turns off the phone/ makes himself unavailable.
6. He is giving me problems when it is supposed to be just an easy transaction.. I pay, he sends the unit… as agreed.
Will contact the bank and try to get some help. Will contact PNP and NBI.
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UPDATE 1: Augusut 29 @ 10:30 am
He texted me saying that he will return the money on Tuesday (No bank on Monday due to holiday). I texted him that he can return the money on a Saturday because BDO banks are open even during these days (those inside SM Malls). No reply. Tried to call him many times, but his number was already “out of coverage”.
Update 2: August 29 @ 3 PM
Miguel, a blog reader, commented that the same guy is selling another item on the same “online market place”. When i checked, he changed his name to Joseph A. He is selling another item at a verrrrry cheap price. 2k less than market price for second hand items and up to 4k less than the price or a brand new unit.
Also noted that he already changed his cellphone number. Tsk tsk tsk
Miguel was also able to get the exact address of the person.
I’ll wait till Tuesday to give him a last chance to give back my money as he said on his text if not, will report this to the authorities.
UPDATE 3: August 30 @ 1:49 pm
This person has claimed another victim. Chris, another reader, commented that he lost 5k to teh same guy. I called Chris and got further details of what happened. He transacted with Karl Joseph R. Avinante to buy the PSP. Karl offered him the PSP for only 5k, 1k less than the displayed price. He sent the money thru globe G-Cash. He awaited the tracking number. But until today, Karl Joseph R. Avinante has not replied nor asnwered his calls.
I’ve asked help from friends for the contact info of the “online market site” since it has not responded yet to my URGENT request. BDO has not responded either.
He used the mobile number 0935-929-9078
UPDATE 4: August 30, 2009 @ 6:48 pm
Another victim saw this post. Sherwin said that the same guy was able to get 20k from him. I chatted with him and he said that the same thing happened to him. Karl also used the same bank account.
This time, he used the number 0905-926-3251. This is the third number he has used to victimize people.
I’ve tried to contact BDO and the “online market site” many times now. I think they don’t care.
UPDATE 5: August 31, 2009 @ 11:00 AM
A friend texted me that she has already forwarded my concern to the owners and investors of the “online market site” and higher ups of BDO. Will just wait for feedback from them! Super thanks friend. Will name everyone soon.
Also, Sherwin went to Laguna to hunt down Karl. I also texted Karl this morning reminding him of our agreement that he should send back my money by tomorrow. Let’s see what will happen.
UPDATE 6: August 31, 2009 @ 4:22 PM
“Online market site” has already responded to my complaint/request letter which I sent to them last 08/29/2009 08:20:
Thank you for writing to us.
We are truly sorry about what happened to you. You should never send money to
people whom you do not know. You should always try and deal in COD (cash on
delivery) to avoid from being cheated. Please read our shop safe page below:
<link>
We have noted your complain. We have sent the advertiser an email requesting him
to either refund the money or send the item to you, within the next 5 working
days. Please notify us if you do not hear from him by 07 Sept 2009.
<name>
Thank you for their LATE response. Again, something as urgent as this should be given IMMEDIATE ATTENTION! 5 working days to send back the money? Karl got it from me in less than an hour. Why still give the person 5 days?!
Still no response from BDO. A bank that cares for people like Karl. They’re still letting him use the account for his not so good activities.
UPDATE 7: September 01, 2009 @ 12nn
I gave Karl between 10am to 12nn today to deposit my money based from his “promise”. I held on to that promise even if I know that he is a fraudster. I told him that I won’t be texting or calling him anymore after that deadline and that he will just have to see what happens next.
I called up BDO head office and was redirected to BDO in Laguna. I was able to talk to the branch manager. He told me that Karl is already on their watch list and his name and data was already forwarded to their legal team. Furthermore, BDO has already informed the Anti Money Laundering Council.
Mr. Branch Manager said that they have received reports about Karl’s activities since Friday. However, it was not clear when they were able to block his account as Sherwin, the second known victim, was still scammed and deposited the money last Saturday. He further said that I wasn’t the first one to report an incident involving Karl. In turns out that he has also scammed other people. At least one other… this time trying to sell a Macbook.
I requested Mr. Branch Manager to provide me info where he withdrew the money. But even fraudsters and scammers are protected by the bank secrecy law, and so Mr. Branch Manager can’t divulge that information. However he was kind enough to inform me that Karl Joseph Avinante withdrew the money in Metro Manila and not in Laguna or Siquijor.
And since Since Karl’s bank account has been freezed, he is now using Globe G-Cash in performing his evil deeds. And so i called up Globe’s customer service hotline and reported the matter. Victim # 2 already reported this to a Globe Business Center last Saturday. I don’t know what happend. I told the CSE what happend and she me that i should expect a call from them later in the day. I asked them if they can provide information where Karl withdrew the G-Cash money. She said she will try to get that information.
Update 8: September 02
Called Globe to report the numbers this Karl is using. The numbers are still active. It seems Globe is not taking action.
Furthermore, It seems that Globe’s customer service hotline did not take our complaints seriously. When i Called 211 again today to follow-up on my complaint, I asked the CSR to check the report logs under my name so that i won’t repeat telling the story. But I still ended up narrating what happend. This time, the CSR gave me a service ticket.
Very frustrating. Karl Avinante’s number is still active and maybe even his G-Cash account.
I also finished my statement that i’ll give to PNP.
I would also like to thank this opportunity to thank old and new friends who are helping me solve this big problem.
Update 9: September 03 @ 8:00 AM
I received a message today on my email. A facebook notification . I wont disclose it yet and won’t write about it now.
Its something positive… Although the case got more complicated.
Update 10: September 03 @ 10:13 AM
I called up ABS-CBN’ XXX hotline 414-2539.
XXX: XXX Hello
I said Hi and stated my name. I told the person on the other line that i have a complaint.
XXX: Tungkol saan?
Me: Na-iscam po kasi ako.
XXX: Tungkol nga saan?
At this point medyo nainis na ako. parang ayaw niya ako kausapin or nagmamadali.
Me: I bought an item pero hindi po pinadala yung item and ayaw ibalik yung pera ko.
XXX: Online ba yan?
Me: Yes po.
That’s when he said that XXX won’t be able to help me. He said that it will be hard for us to prove that the scammer got the money because of bank secrecy regulations. And that at the end they, XXX, might end up being charged in court.
I asked how XXX could help me. He really said they can’t.
I was dissappointed. The guy that i talked to didn’t even know the whole story, and here he is saying that its a hopeless case. WOW. So this is how XXX treats victims. Now I know.
It’s now up to the local authorites. If that still fails. I know where to go to.
Update 11: September 03 @ 11:28 AM
I searched for the contact number of GMA’s Imbestigador. It was quite harder to find it compared to XXX’s contact details. I found one here. I called Imbestigador at 928-4713.
I was able to talk to Willie. He asked me about what happened. I gave him an overview. Then he asked for my contact details and told me that someone will call me back. He said he will forward my concern for approval. I told him i can send the whole story via email as i have prepared a very lengthy account of what happened. So he gave me their email address: imb_sumbunganngbayan@gmanetwork.com.
In less than 30 mins, Lora, a staff of imbestigador contacted me. She asked me to narrate what happened. I told her some highlights of the incident and told her that i also forwarded the whole story in their email.
She said she will read my accounts first and then they’ll call me back.
Buti pa ang Imbestigador!
Update 12: September 04 @ 8:51 AM
No feedback yet from Imbestigador.
I tried to contact thru email, PNP’s DIRECTORATE FOR INVESTIGATION AND DETECTIVE MANAGEMENT (DIDM) as I saw in one news article that they were the one doing an investigation on an “internet scam”. However, seconds after sending my email, i got this error:
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
Technical details of permanent failure:
Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 550 550 5.1.1 <didm@pnp.gov.ph> User unknown; rejecting (state 14).
Ouch!
Even the CIDG email address seems to be… well how will i put it… Not working?
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
cidg@pnp.gov.ph
Technical details of permanent failure:
Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 550 550 5.1.1 User unknown; rejecting (state 14).
I also contacted PNP thru text. I sent PNP < message> and sent it to 2920. I inquired for the contact info of their cybercrime unit. No response yet.
But this case has already been forwarded to the PNP by Sherwin.
Update 13: September 04 @ 5:06 PM
Got a reply from BDO call center:
This will acknowledge receipt of your internet mail, <my name>.
We would like to inform you that as per bank’s general procedure, we are not authorized to provide 3rd party account information (or providing account information to other person). This is also in compliance with Government Rulings regarding Bank Secrecy Law, which the bank adheres to.
Thank you for your time and have a nice day.
BDO Customer Contact Center
eServices Unit
WTA289272
I completely understand it. But what I don’t understand is the LATE response. I sent my complaint to them last August 29… they sent their response 6 days after. Maybe they could have responded to my email sooner. Even an automated reply will do. Just so I’m sure that they got my email. Right? They can do all the investigation they want but just inform me first that your doing something. I hope this is one improvement they can implement.
Good thing i called them up to get updates.
Plus, this message seems to me that the bank is telling me “I’m sorry, we can’t help you.” But i’m sure that if I sue this Scammer, then they might provide the information needed.
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More Updates later
Sir, I also have a deal with him but I haven’t sent the money yet. Ano contact number niya sayo? His ad says he is from Central Visayas din eh. PLease contact me asap, Baka pwede natin mabawi pera mo, he’s selling me his psp3000 for 6k.
OMG he’s still selling stuff! Nako, ipa-XXX niyo na ‘yan or something.
guyz i just lost 5k for a psp from this guy. gotta report this to the authorities. pls. contact me migs ds s my number 09053376587
i send it to him thru gcash. wt a stupid decision i made.
from wt place are u migs?
Ang bad naman niya!
I feel for you. At least you have his BDO bank account and name – you can file a complaint with the authorities.
Guys…victim here… i lost 20k for Nikon D60 he’s selling on ebay…same situation… hanggang ngayon wala pa din yung item…sabi nya he’s from baguio..tapos papadala din daw nya sa utol nya yung unit… tapos after nun hindi ko na sya makontak… tulongan tyo guys…
guys… paano natin sya mata-track?
contact natin xxx guys…malaki yung nakuha nya sa atin…
chat tayo…
femail ko sa xxx yung post mo na ito..sana matulungan nya tayo…
same story din tol… 10thou yung downpayment ko…tapos pinipilit nyang buuin ko na para daw paipadala na nya yung unit..ngayon inaantay ko yung unit pero wala pa din..hindi ko na makontak yung cellphone no. nya… tol may facebook account sya…at nagmessage ako sa mga kaibigan nya dun..para matulungan ako na mapuntahan sya sa laguna..bukas nga balak ko syang puntahan… tol anu number mo?
anu yung number na gamit nya sa iyo…
migs…chat tayo 2ok yung nawala sa akin…gusto kong makausap yung taong yun
Migs..pls txt me kung anu na lagay nung sa BDO…
just got home from San Pedro Laguna… nagpunta na kami ng San Pedro PNP station upang ipa blotter yung karl Joseph R. Avinante, pati yung school na pinapasukan nya, PUP San Pedro Extention.. nakausap ko na yung guard dun, at ibinigay yung number ng registrar at admin office upang matawagan ko bukas at mai-blocklist tong si Karl…
OMG . . from the looks of it, this guy is most likely one of those guys you see in XXX. Isali niyo na siya sa cast ng XXX! This is really a big amount of money he took from you guys.
pwede yan ma locate using his cell number. kung my kakilala kayo sa loob ng Globe pwede nyo pa track kng san location nya..
This is really bad. I’ve already learned my lesson when making transactions online. Migs, I sure do hope everything should turn out fine. Don’t let your hopes down.
PARE RESPONSE SA AKIN NG AYOSDITO.COM RE MY REPORT
Thank you for writing to us.
We are truly sorry about what happened to you. You should never send money to
people whom you do not know. You should always try and deal in COD (cash on
delivery) to avoid from being cheated. Please read our shop safe page below:
http://www.ayosdito.ph/security/index.htm?ca=1_s
We have noted your complain. We have sent the advertiser an email requesting him
to either refund the money or send the item to you, within the next 5 working
days. Please notify us if you do not hear from him by 08 September 2009.
AyosDito.ph ( Cecilia Ramirez )
grabe naman ang taong yan.
Sana mahuli na yan.
pare online ako sa skype ngayon usap tayo re updates sa Imbestigador…
This is just one the risks in online shopping. Most of the e-commerce sites now are unsafe because they are not involve in the transaction. Needless to say that Auction.ph has a solution for this kind of incident. They have their own security the “escrow system”. But the sad part is,they reached the point that they were left unfunded. They even laid-off employees without giving any separation pay.
pare mukhang posible din yung 3rd party..kasi atm naman ang gamit nung scammer… hindi naman counter withdrawal..atm gamit nya…
dapat mahuli na yan….ng maturuan ng leksyon!
i just lost 33k from karl joseph avinante. samestories as above. such a fool to trust this kind of person. as of now, i’mpraying and working hard on how to trap him and put him to jail. please pray with me that i’ll succeed with my plans on how to trap him.
@GEMMA anu yung item na bibilin mo sa kanya? report ka o magfile ka na ng case sa pnp at imbestigador… kami ni migs nag file na…
Yung supervisor ko dito sa Pascual lab vice mayor ng balagtas, kakilala nya yung assistant ng assistant ng nbi director..bulaong yata yung pangalan sabi nya..matutulungan daw nya tyo… update kita…
magtulungan tayo lahat para mahuli ‘tong manloloko na ito. update ko rin kayo. m dong my best para mahuli na to. pls pray with me na successful tong gagawin ko.
laptop macbook yung binayaran ko. d nlang ako magpa-file. sa kanya na yung pera. basta tingnan na lang natin hanggang kelan sya manloko ng tao. c GOD na bahala tumulong sa ‘tin. basta, update ko kayo…
i also conucted an investigation. Sorry, im from Cebu kaya i cant go sa place ng kumag na ito. 15700 ang naideposit ko sa account niyan. But guys, taga batangas ang gumamit ng bdo account nyan. If you couyld try to go here sa address niya:
# 315 rr station brgy 24, Batangas City
Name: Benson Argente
Ang ginamit niyang number sa akin: 09287043215
If nabasa ko lang ito ng maaga hindi sana ako nakuhaan ng cash.
Sana mahuli na ito, i have no means to go to court, wala na akong pera para pa ipahuli ito. too bad.
May mga kasama ang hayup na yan:
nesleen mendoza
cp #: 09081669552
norris jay perez
cp #: 09172084151
ito account ni norris jay sa gspot.com, take at his picture:
http://www.gspot.com.ph/userid=1
his account in tipidpc.com:
http://www.tipidpc.com/ratings.php?username=qwerty_123456
I’ve read your story from start to finish. Be careful next time when transacting online. As for me, I usually do meet-ups (for CODs) and sa malapit and secure place lang. Hindi ako pumapayag sa delivery lalo na pag hindi naman company yun and mataas yung value ng item kahit pa napakamura ng price nung item.
hi guys,victim din ako ng scam… malaking pera nwamla sa akin worth 32,000… i just want you guys to be ware abouth this site http://www.cellphonemania.multiply.com…. the owner of the site is really really a scammer..
nakalagay sa site ung mga items na binebenta nya..
then i tried to contact her through her phone 09179079243
i ordered 2 iphones worth 20k each
then we agreed na 32,000 muna ang ipdala ko thru g-cash
sa stupidity ko.. and siguro eagerness na magkaron ng iphone nagbayad nga ako
then aun sabi nya pinadala na daw nya ung item thru LBC
she gave me the tracking number but it is not valid…
sabi nya i’ll just wait nlang daw,, da2ting din daw ung package kinabuksan…. so i tried to wait
5pm na wla pa ung package ko..
then i texted her sabi nya twagan ko daw LBC
but then again invalid daw ung tracking number
i tried to caLL HER, pero kinacancell ung tawag ko, or di sinagaot…. so nakiusap ako kung pwede ibalik nalng ung money ko…. then nagulat ako… biglang nagtxt ung tatay nya kuno, using the same number,,, minumura na ako na niloloko ko daw ung anak nya kasi di ko pinadala ung full amount,, kya daw di dumating ung package kasi pinahold nya sa LBC manila..
sobrang sama ng loob ko.. i dont know to whom will i report this… if there anyone of you guys who could help me with this please please please help me
please nmn oh text nyo ako kung alam nyo dapat gawin?
09062736693
active padin ung number ng owner
and still nagbebenta padin thru that site
HELP ME PLEASE
to sherwin
dude patulong din ako sa case ko please
cliff, bakit naka suspended na yun sulit id mo na cliff19? and why are you using the pictures from cellphonemania to post ads sa sulit kung iniscam ka niya? just a question…
di ko po alam kung bat nasuspend ako
may mga nabenta na ako sa sulit, like my present item which is the lenovo y550
i used the picts. kasi nga sa kanya ko din sana ku2nin yung item………….
check this site to verify!!!!
http://blogs.ebay.ph/breindellebreinne
bakit ka suspended kung may nabenta ka na?
i dont know y…
meet tau if want para makita mo ako…
shiela marie check this site
http://officiallybanned.multiply.com/photos
and you cAN contact brilliantskin sa sulit,,, i sold her my neo laptop…
are you connected with cellphonemania?
it seems ur defending that bitch
by the way how did you know na nasuspend ako sa sulit
you know what the day na naloko ako nung bicth na yun bigla na ako nasuspend sa sulit…
and the only person na naka2alam na nasuspend ako is her!!!!
FISHY???!!!
Ummm… Cliff and shiela marie,
mawalang galang na po.. pero sana hindi po kayo dito sa blog ko magaway.
thank you
hi migs, no harm done. something fishy lang kasi cos’ nascam DAW siya. pero nasuspend sulit niya. hindi naman masususpend account mo sa sulit basta basta kung walang anomaly dahil nadedetect nila ip address mo if you have multiply accounts.
baka siya din si cellphonemania and just using another identity para makaatract ng buyer dahil naawa sa kanya. just a theory.
kaya isip isip muna bago bumili online… mahirap kumita ng pera ngayon.. 
and you know why i knew suspended ka? i googled your number.
try it out yourself.
again migs, i dont want to argue with anyone. i just want to clarify things. dahil ang mga scammer na yan, gumagamit ng ibat ibang identity or even pictures to scam people. since prepaid lang ang number ni cliff, madali lang bumili ng prepaid sim and pretend to be legit but hindi naman.
that’s why cliff, no offense meant. i’m just asking why you’re account is suspended. dont be sooooo defensive okay?
sorry, multiple accounts i mean.
sorry migs,, i just want to make myself clear po.. kasi parang pinagbibintangan pa ako ni shiela marie na scammer…’
to ma’am shiela… lifted na po ung suspension ko..
kaya daw po ako nasuspend kasi i used the picts. coming from cellphonemania… (mali ko yun)
uuhhhmmm ma’am shiela sorry pero if you are thinkin na nagpepretend lang ako na nascam i cAN give you my full identity
name: cliff richard daguasi
add: #93-a k5th street kamuning quezon city (you can come at my place and i’ll be happy to welcome you)
schools: graduated from FAR EASTERN UNIVERSITY MANILA,
COURSE TAKEN BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING
current school: UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST RAMON MAGSAYSAY
COURSE; MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN NURSING MAJOR IN ADULT HEALTH (CARDIOLOGY NURSING, RENAL NURSING, METABOLISM )
FRIENDSTER: preppe000@yahoo.com ( you can invite me ma’am for verification, and i’ll be happy to be your friend)
cp number: 09062736693
i just bought a nokia n97 last wednesday from this number 09176669846
his name is emmanuel villamor…. Yman2 po ung user name nya
and you can even contact brilliantskin po (andun po xa sa mga nagcomment sa akin)
ma’am shiela i’m the victim here po not the Assailant…
uuhhhmmm may nagtext din po sa akin dati… pretended na uncle nya daww si mr. tulfo
eto number nya 09159396901 baka kilala nyo po maam shiela
to sir migs i just wanna say sorry…
i just wanna clear my self lang dude
thanks and good day
anu na po happen sa case?
detected nb?
Nothing…. pinabayaan na lang namin… 10k is not worth a life.
eh..pero mali yun eh..
db poh..
ahm…
sayang ung 32k nung isang commentors mo..
siguro mga 50k or higit pa nakuha nya..
grabe sya..
may pic ba kayu nung scammer?
senxa now ko lang nabasa
pero baka may maitulong pa sana ko
sure… I’ll contact you thru email.