Nelson Morales

Article (news)

Jana Berenguer

Lyza Aquino

ABS-CBN News

<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F3870525693248163%2F%3Fv&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>MANILA — Online entrepreneur and content creator Jana Berenguer has gone public after falling victim to an online bank scam that drained her business savings—funds she had set aside for her son’s upcoming surgery.</p><p>The case went viral after Berenguer posted a video on her official page “Jana&amp;Alonzo” on September 15. The video has since garnered more than 7.4 million views and over 50,000 shares on Facebook.</p><p>In an interview with ABS-CBN News, Berenguer recalled the harrowing experience, which happened right after a successful two-day bazaar. She said she had taken Monday off to spend time with her son Alonzo, who has cerebral palsy, unaware she was about to face every parent’s financial nightmare.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/6/12/banks-e-wallets-given-a-year-to-comply-with-fraud-management-system-1041"><strong>Banks, e-wallets given a year to comply with fraud management system<br/></strong></a></div><p>“So that was a Monday, katatapos lang ng bazaar namin so expected may laman yung bank, transactions, a lot of transactions came in kasi nag-two day bazaar kami, so that morning since, the whole weekend wala ko. I decided to have a day off on Monday to be with my son,” she said.</p><p>Her break was interrupted when staff asked her to help process customer orders. She went live to personally handle transactions, only discovering the unauthorized withdrawals afterward.</p><p>“Sabi sa akin [ng staff ko] ‘Ma’am ang dami pong orders, hindi namin kaya’ so that’s when I stepped in. Sabi ko sige kaya ko naman yun since 30 pieces lang naman. Then I went live na rin kasi sayang, benta rin iyon. Since it was a good live, good transactions din,” she said.</p><p>“Sakto mga 7 p.m., mga ganun, I end the live. And when I went down, sa may restaurant namin, my tita slash accountant/ bookkeeper rather, was there. Sabi ko tita sakto, magbayad na tayo, magbayad na tayo ng utang, seperate na the funds, so that I’ll know how much pa iipon ko for Alonzo. I Sat down, opened my app,” she added.</p><p>To her shock, her account showed only P98—then P48.</p><p>“Sorry, naiiyak pa rin ako. I opened my app and it was that. Alam mo yung reaction ko kasi, ah baka glitch lang ito so logged out ulit, and then went back in and then sabi ko tita walang laman,” she recalled.</p><p>Berenguer said seven transactions in just two to three minutes wiped out three separate bank accounts, totaling about P189,000.</p><p>“Sabi ko, how could you allow seven transactions in two to three minutes with that amount?...Diba sa iPhone if you swipe it you will see the time frame, ‘yung actual real-time of the message. Seven transactions in two to three minutes,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/26/over-5-000-arrested-for-cybercrimes-since-january-police-say-0044"><strong>Over 5,000 arrested for cybercrimes since January, police say<br/></strong></a></div><p>She suspects QR code phishing during the bazaar may have compromised her phone.</p><p>“If by all means there’s a possibility that my staff or I..may napindot man...if that actually happened, it’s still the security matters eh—that you allowed seven transactions in two minutes.”</p><p>The funds, she explained, were not only for her business and bills but primarily for Alonzo’s scheduled medical clearance for surgery.</p><p>“Naiiyak ako...That money isn’t just mine. That’s the hard work of my staff, that’s for my son, for Alonzo...I was supposed to message the doctor that night, dapat kahapon mag-clearance na dapat si Zo. Buti na lang mabait ang doctor, sabi no rush, take your time.”</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>BDO STATEMENT</strong></div><p>Without naming Berenguer, BDO Unibank issued a statement:</p><p>“The Bank has been in touch with the client and working to resolve the issue at the soonest possible time. Fraud cases are often linked to social engineering...or familial fraud, where the fraudster is a person known to the client.”</p><p>BDO’s Reminder to Clients:</p><p>    •    Avoid clicking suspicious links</p><p>    •    Never share One-Time PINs (OTPs)</p><p>    •    Do not disclose personal details via calls, emails, or messages</p><p>    •    Visit official branches when in doubt</p><p>While the bank has reportedly offered to discuss reimbursement, Berenguer said she will not accept the money until a formal investigation is finished.</p><p>“Before anything else, I need to know what happened to the investigation,” she said. “It doesn’t look morally right if I just accept it...For what? Why? What fraudulent act happened?”</p><p>She emphasized transparency for herself, her followers, and fellow entrepreneurs.</p><p>“Before anything else, I need to know what happened to the investigation because it’s still on going. Sabi ko okay, you’re willing to talk, but for me, and I consulted a lawyer as well, sinabi [lawyer] na before you proceed, if ever man they will pay you back, or reimburse your money back, you need to know what happened to your dispute and investigation, kasi nagfile kami eh,” she explained.</p><p>“I’m not alone apparently ang dami na palang nangyaring ganito, and on my end, I just want to be socially responsible to my followers as well na parang, ‘Okay nabalik ang pera, for what?’ why? what fraudulent [act] happened?,” she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PNP CYBERCRIME WARNING</strong></div><p>PLt. Wallen Arancillo, spokesperson of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, reminded the public to be extra vigilant, especially with the holiday season approaching.</p><p>“Lalong-lalo na ngayong ber months, mag-ingat po tayo sa mga nakakausap po natin sa social media. Huwag po tayo basta-basta magbigay ng mga personal at financial information. Iwasan po natin mag-click ng unverified or suspicious links.”</p><p>He also urged scam victims to immediately report incidents to the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CALL FOR BETTER SECURITY</strong></div><p>Berenguer said she is grateful that her platform amplified her story and hopes it will also protect others.</p><p>“I’m just grateful and blessed that I’m a content creator, that I was able to speak and this video was shared… But papaano ang mga tao na hindi content creator? Sana matulungan din sila.”</p><p>She called on banks to strengthen their systems.</p><p>“It’s clearly stated, it’s clearly out there that there’s something wrong with their security measures. It needs to be improved,” she said.</p><p>“I just want to be socially responsible to my followers...para safe tayong lahat. If it’s true na naging QR code phishing, I can say to my followers: ingat tayo sa QR code natin. Yung mga little things like that,” she added.</p>

<p>Online entrepreneur and content creator Jana Berenguer has gone public after falling victim to an online bank scam that drained her business savings—funds she had set aside for her son’s upcoming surgery.</p>

Online entrepreneur and content creator Jana Berenguer has gone public after falling victim to an online bank scam that drained her business savings—funds she had set aside for her son’s upcoming surgery.

Content creator loses money for son's surgery in online bank scam

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Content creator loses money for son's surgery in online bank scam

Lyza Aquino,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 17, 2025 08:55 PM PHT

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BDO

phishing scam

online scam

Jana Berenguer

content creator

PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group

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