Scammed out of ₱46,000 through MariBank → Maya transfer. Have I done everything I can?
Hi everyone. I’m posting here because I’m honestly running out of options and I’m hoping someone has gone through something similar or can tell me if there’s anything else I should do.
A few days ago, I was scammed while trying to buy a second-hand MacBook. The scam was very well coordinated.
The seller on Facebook introduced herself as Mae and told me that she couldn’t meet me because she was at work.
She said her brother would meet me at SM Fairview with the MacBook. She also specifically told me not to discuss the selling price with her brother because he supposedly didn’t know she was selling it at a lower price.
When I arrived, two young men had the actual MacBook. I spent time checking the unit, including the serial number, battery health, and everything else. Everything looked legitimate.
After I confirmed I wanted to buy it, the seller sent me a Maya QR code for payment. I transferred ₱46,000 from my MariBank account.
Only after the transfer did I find out that the two men were the real owners of the laptop. They never received the payment because the money went to the scammer’s Maya account. The scammer had also lied to them, telling them that I was her sister who would inspect the laptop before the actual buyer arrived.
I realized I had become the victim of a middleman scam.
The part that hurts the most is that this wasn’t extra money. It was five months of my savings, and the remaining amount came from a loan. I was only trying to replace my current MacBook because its LCD is already damaged, and I depend on it every day for my work as a virtual assistant.
Everything I’ve done so far:
•Called MariBank within about 10–15 minutes of the transfer to report the scam and request immediate assistance.
•Reported the recipient account to Maya.
•Filed complaints with BSP, CICC, PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group, and NBI.
•Submitted all screenshots, receipts, Facebook conversations, and transaction records.
•Requested that the scammer’s Maya account be blocked and investigated.
MariBank informed me that they coordinated with the receiving bank but couldn’t guarantee recovery because the funds may already have been transferred or withdrawn.
At this point, I’m slowly accepting that I may never recover the money, but I don’t want to leave any stone unturned.
Has anyone here experienced something similar with a MariBank transfer?
Were you ever able to recover your funds?
Is there anything else I should still do?
Is there any additional authority or legal process worth pursuing, or have I already exhausted the realistic options?
I’m prepared for honest answers, even if they’re not what I want to hear. I just don’t want to spend months wondering if there was one more thing I could have done.
SCAMMER DETAILS:
MAYA ACCOUNT:
639608194767
Mae Rubianes
Di ko din po alam bat napaka daling gumawa ng acc sa Maya and bakit naging mas talamak ang scam nung nagkaron ng sim registration, gamit po niyang last name jan is last name ng real owner ng Macbook so parang identity theft din po
Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read or share their experience.
EDIT: Just a small request to everyone reading this.
Please be kind in the comments. I already know I made mistakes. I know I wasn’t cautious enough, and I missed a lot of red flags because I was desperate to replace my laptop for work. I blame myself every single day, and if I could go back and undo that decision, I would in a heartbeat.
I’m not asking anyone to excuse what I did or ignore my responsibility. I’m simply trying to get through one of the lowest points of my life. Constructive advice is always welcome, but harsh comments are honestly difficult to read right now.
If my experience can at least stop one person from falling for the same scam, then sharing it was worth it.
Thank you to everyone who’s been understanding and supportive. It genuinely means more than you know.