Irony of ironies!
I usually warn readers of scams and hoaxes, but I have just learned I should heed my own warning. But then, I did not know that Facebook pages could be “cloned.”
I have heard of people creating Facebook pages using other people’s names, but I did not know of anyone hijacking an existing site and making it his own.
Last Saturday, several friends informed me I was sending them private messages from my FB account announcing I was the recipient of $150,000. The message said they were just as lucky because I was supposed to have seen other packages from the same sender, a United States federal agency, addressed to them.
The impostor invited my friends to chat which, fortunately, most of my friends knew I never did. One friend said the English was so bad she knew right away it was not me.
I asked a tech-savvy friend to look into the problem, and that was how he found out that my FB page, including my photograph, had been appropriated by somebody.
I don’t think the impostor was really interested in the posts on my page, which are usually the week’s column. I believe he was more interested in my friends’ addresses.
My techie friend could not explain how the cloning was done. But he suggests exercising “care in dealing with external/third-party websites that may be referred or that present themselves, often automatically or linked from, say, another webpage…”
Needless to say, I have abandoned that FB page to the impostor. If my friends are still getting messages from “me” wanting to discuss my windfall, please know that if I had $150,000 I would not tell my family, much less friends.
Speaking of fakes…
Cohen’s Lifestyle Centre (CLC) Philippines, which offers a “weight loss and wellness through nutrition” program, is warning people against those who claim to be representing it and establishments offering its service.
As CLC Philippines founders Barbara Young, Regina Chuavon and Dr. Angel Bandola explain, the program is not just a diet that one can follow without going through the whole process—from assessment to individualized eating regimen.
They also stress that the Cohen regimen is not developed simply on the basis of a person’s blood type. It is blood chemistry that determines what will be the appropriate program for an individual.
But even knowing your blood chemistry will not tell you what you should eat without the advice and supervision of Cohen experts. The diet is just one aspect of the whole program and cannot be mass-produced, like some establishments allegedly are doing now.
There is a reason why the whole six-month package costs more than P60,000—not just to give the program an elitist image and keep it out of reach of ordinary people. The amount covers tests, an individualized program and expert supervision. And not everybody, even if they can afford it, is a suitable candidate for the program.
For those who think they may be getting a heaven-sent bargain if they are offered the Cohen program for the fraction of its actual cost, be warned that you will just be throwing away your money. You are better off investing that money on simple, nutritious, balanced meals instead on fake Cohen diets.
Flower show
An Ikebana flower arrangement show is ongoing until March 16, 4-6 p.m., 2/L Grand Atrium (East Wing) of Shangri-La Plaza on Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City. The theme of the exhibit is “Bangon Pilipinas! A Prayer of Hope and Thanksgiving for the Resilient Filipino.” Daily lecture-demonstrations on various Ikebana styles are being held as part of the show.
Send letters to The Consumer, Lifestyle Section, Philippine Daily Inquirer, 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor. Mascardo and Yague Sts., 1204 Makati City; fax 8974793/94; or e-mail [email protected]
