Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) particularly those based in Canada are recently warned against a new modus operandi that search for possible victims through text messaging.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued out the advisory informing OFWs about a new text scam. The government agency said that the text messages circulating in Canada seems to originate in the Philippines. 

Minerva Jean A. Falcon, Philippine Consul General in Vancouver reported that OFWs in British Columbia have been receiving scam messages. The text message lures victim by informing about a prize money won from a special raffle draw supposedly sponsored by a certain "GMA Foundation of the Philippines for Overseas Filipinos."

According to Consul General Falcon, the text scams use the following names and contact numbers:

• Special Projects Division GMA Foundation of the Philippines San Rafael Annex Building Malacañang, Manila , Philippines Secretary Nimfa Salazar, Tel. No. 0921-712-6658;
• Department of Finance Agripina Circle, Manila, Secretary, Atty. Patricia Pineda, Tel. No. 0921-834-0905 Jo Ann B. Castillo, Sec. Of Atty. Pineda, Tel. No. 0921-610-2908;
• Ramon Tiongco Uy Western Union Bank Representative in the Philippines Western Money Transfer, Manila , Tel No. 0915-214-8547 50 M. Hizon St., Caloocan City

Filipino migrant workers should be cautious of text messages that sounds too good to be true. It is also advisable to just ignore those text messages. The best thing to do is to report such cases to the nearest Philippine Embassy or Consulate General immediately.