Marites Dura Bustamante Professional Romance Scammer from the Philippines

  Marites Dura Bustamante Professional Romance Scammer from the Philippines

A Malaysian man, let’s call him Roy, became the unfortunate victim of a meticulously planned romance scam orchestrated by a professional scammer from the Philippines named Marites Dura Bustamante. Marites is no ordinary fraudster—she has deceived countless older men, targeting their savings and pensions, and she does so with the assistance of her family: her mother, husband, siblings, and even neighbors, each playing a role in entrapping her victims.

Roy first met Marites while working in Singapore. At the time, Marites, a widowed mother of two and also working as a domestic helper, was at a traffic light with a friend. Initially, Roy’s attention was drawn to her friend, who was more outgoing and conventionally attractive. But somehow, he became captivated by Marites herself. Born on October 18, 1986, Marites expertly drew Roy into her manipulative web. Fueled by sexual desire, Roy allowed himself to become involved, viewing the relationship as nothing more than a physical indulgence. Their communication quickly moved to phone calls, deepening the connection that Marites carefully nurtured.

Before targeting Roy, Marites had already stolen $30,000 from her employer in Singapore, along with several personal items. Outwardly, she appeared older than her age, overweight, unkempt, and far from the picture of youth or beauty. Yet Roy, blinded by lust and illusion, saw a young, slim, fair-skinned, and seemingly seductive woman. Ironically, at that time Roy was already in a relationship and planning to marry in 2016, but the dark influence of Marites disrupted everything. His relationship ended abruptly due to what he later realized as black magic manipulation—making what was good appear bad, and what was bad appear good.

Roy tried multiple times to end the relationship with Marites but failed every time. The scam was reinforced with an insidious spell known as "nasi kangkang," a method used by professional romance scammers to control their victims. When Marites returned to the Philippines, she claimed to be pregnant, insisting the child was Roy’s, despite the baby actually being the result of her relationship with her cousin, Bernard. She used this child as a tool to extort money. Blinded by manipulation and under the spell’s influence, Roy transferred his entire salary to Marites in the Philippines every month, repeatedly taking leave from work just to visit her.

When Marites came to Roy’s hometown, the situation worsened. Roy’s mother and older brother began behaving strangely, neighbors reported seeing them walking naked in public, and tragically, his mother passed away under horrifying circumstances in 2020—without water, electricity, or food.

Meanwhile, Marites Dura Bustamante enriched herself enormously through these scams. She bought houses, repaired old ones, purchased motorcycles, cars, and gold jewelry—all funded by the suffering of her victims, including Roy. Her schemes have expanded internationally, with reports suggesting she is now targeting a man in Kuwait, likely employing the same manipulative tactics that entrapped Roy and others.

Roy’s story serves as a chilling reminder of the systematic cruelty of professional romance scammers. They prey on human vulnerability, exploiting loneliness, desire, and emotional dependence. Even the most rational victims can be manipulated through a combination of psychological manipulation, black magic, and emotional coercion.

This cautionary tale warns us that those who seem sweet, attentive, or loving online may have ulterior motives. Not everyone who charms you is trustworthy, and in the case of scammers like Marites Dura Bustamante, the consequences can be devastating—financially, emotionally, and socially. Victims are left shattered, while perpetrators continue to profit with impunity, often with the support of a network willing to perpetuate the fraud.