THE Philippine National Police–Island Garden City of Samal (PNP–Igacos) warned tourists about the increasing number of online scams, particularly involving beach and resort bookings on the island.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Hamlet Montejo Lerios, chief of PNP–Igacos, urged the public to thoroughly verify resort bookings and to avoid dealing with unscrupulous individuals who pretend to be affiliated with resort owners on the island.

“Mas gwapo mismo kamo personal adtoa ninyo sa mga offices nila para didtoa nalang mo mag reserve kung gusto ninyo mag-enjoy here sa Samal (It’s better if you personally go to their offices so you can make your reservation there if you want to enjoy here in Samal),” he said in a statement on January 26, 2026. 

Lerios added that there have been incidents in which individuals introduced themselves as being affiliated with major resorts in Igacos but were later found to be scammers. 

He said that further investigations revealed that some of the suspects were from the Davao Region and Manila.

However, the police office assured that no matter how the suspects would try to hide, authorities would still be able to identify them through the mobile phones used in the transactions, with the assistance of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Unit. He, however, added that the process may take time.

Lerios further said that, while the arrest of suspects may not happen very soon, he assured that scammers’ identities will be traced through SIM card registration records. 

He added that the police coordinate with telecommunications networks and apply for cyber warrants to facilitate the arrest of perpetrators.

Earlier, the local government unit of Samal issued a similar warning in November 2025, citing reports of scammers using fake Facebook pages of local resorts to deceive tourists.

Councilor Anne David, chairperson of the Committee on Tourism, said that scammers not only fake resort bookings but also illegally collect environmental fees.

“Grabe ang akong kaguol niini kay dako kaayo’g epekto sa atong isla tungod ang ubang mga resort owners naga-reklamo kay ang uban they will not refer Samal kay masayang lang ang ilang kwarta,” she said in an interview with GMA Regional TV. 

(I’m really worried about this because it has a huge impact on our island. Some resort owners are complaining that others will no longer refer Samal since their money would just be wasted.)

The local government advised tourists to verify the legitimacy of Facebook pages through the City Tourism Office, noting that a high number of followers is not a guarantee of authenticity. Tourists were also advised to check whether reviews are consistent and credible and to be cautious when asked to deposit payments into personal bank accounts. RGP