Rocco and Yasmien recall falling for shams, scams

Rocco Nacino (left) and Yasmien Kurdi

The coming GMA 7 afternoon series “The Missing Husband” revolves around scam victims and how the allure of easy money ends up compromising their future.

For some of the cast members, the show’s theme hit a little too close to home.

Rocco Nacino once fell for a sham investment a couple of years back. “I thought I would be able to recoup my money and start earning. But I haven’t heard from the person ever since. There were several attempts to find the person, but to no avail,” Rocco said at a recent virtual conference.

With jobs and businesses in peril during the pandemic, not a few people ended up getting enticed by sweet words and promises, Rocco surmised. “The scammers would convince you that if they can earn money, you can, too. Lots of people got interested in get-rich-quick schemes. And scammers took advantage of that.”

Admittedly, he didn’t know much about businesses during that time. In hindsight, he realized that everything was too good to be true. “These things should be studied carefully. Now, I’m more careful with my money. I do my research. I consult different people before I invest in something.”

Now, there’s nothing much he can do besides wish he gets his money back. “But I believe in karma. I hope what I lost comes back to me one way or another. I will just continue working and make sure the money I earn is clean,” Rocco said.

‘Felt deceived’

Yasmien Kurdi couldn’t help but feel down after dealing with a shady contractor who ran away with her money after providing substandard service.

“The ceiling they constructed collapsed. They dumped loads of trash in the gutters. But they didn’t want to take responsibility. They took my money without fixing it,” she said. “I felt so bad because they should have come back and did what needed to be done.

“I felt like crying, because your home is supposed to be your safe space—a place you go home to after a hard day’s work. I spent a lot of money and for what? I felt deceived.”

Michael Flores lost a seven-figure amount to an investee who used the actor’s and other people’s money to put up a networking company.

“It happened five years ago. Things went well at first; we were earning money. But then he diverted our money to a company he was putting up. We learned that he never put his own money into the business—the money was all ours … The company didn’t even last a year. Masakit,” he said. “If something seems too good to be true, walk away.”

Once in a while, the said scammer would randomly reach out to him, offering proposals on how to pay his money back. “I have been talking to the other victims, figuring out if we should expose and sue him. But then again, he seems used to it already … He has a lot of charges, I believe,” he said.

There are two things Michael learned from this experience: Appearances can be deceiving and that money is the root of all evil.

“My mistake was trusting him even if I didn’t know him well. We met only through a mutual friend. And he’s a Christian, too. But unfortunately, sometimes, you can’t even trust people you already know well,” he said. “And money really is the root of all evil. Walang kaibigan, kamag-anak, pamilya—that’s the painful truth.

‘Cautionary tale’

“The Missing Husband,” which airs weekdays starting Aug. 28, follows Anton (Rocco) and Millie (Yasmien) who try their luck as overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Qatar. The plan is to work there for as long as possible to save enough money for their future. However, Milllie’s unexpected pregnancy has the couple changing course.

They return to the Philippines to start anew. After tying the knot, Anton and Millie sign up for an investment opportunity in hopes of growing their money. They invest their entire life savings into it and even convince other people to do the same. But as it turns out, it was all a scam. Losing all their hard-earned possessions fractures the couple’s relationship. Anton starts getting death threats from people that he unwittingly lured into the scheme.

Anton promises Millie that he will have everything under control. But one morning, Millie finds out that Anton has vanished and left the kitchen smeared with blood. As Millie tries to find her missing husband, she finds herself wondering: Is there foul play involved? Or is this just an elaborate escape plan?

“They’re a fictional couple, but they represent a lot of Filipinos and OFWs who have been scammed … They worked really hard; they endured being away from their families and loved ones to earn money—only to be duped by fellow Filipinos. The topic is a relevant but painful one,” director Mark Reyes said.

Of course, what these scammers don’t realize, Direk Mark said, is that their unscrupulous ways affect not only the victims who lost money, but also the people around them.

“They don’t know that what they do affects lots of people. Family goes against family. Husbands and wives turn on each other,” he pointed out. “It’s such a complicated issue. It’s one of the things this series aims to show. Our goal may be to entertain, but there are a lot of relevant matters that will be discussed. May it also serve as a cautionary tale.” INQ