Itinigil na ng actress-cosplayer na si Myrtle Sarrosa ang pagre-recover sa kanyang nawawalang cellphone.
Nawala ang kanyang telepono nang dumalo siya sa ToyCon (The Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention) sa SMX Convention Center sa Pasay City, noong June 13, 2026.
Sa bagong social-media update ni Myrtle nitong Miyerkules ng gabi, June 17, sinabi niyang humihingi umano ang may hawak ng kanyang telepono ng halagang PHP40,000 bilang kapalit.
Ibingay pa raw ng tinutukoy niyang tao ang Gcash number nito para roon ipadala ang pera bago nito isauli ang telepono ni Myrtle.
Lahad ng aktres (published as is): "My phone got stolen sa Toycon and humihingi siya ng P40,000. Pero nasa Greenhills na yung phone.
"After ng habulan, as in same day talaga, hindi namin siya tinigilan habulin. Nag-reply siya using my sim saying na binenta lang daw sa kanya yung locked phone for P40,000.
"He even sent a GCash number and wanted me to send the money first. (For legal reasons, I need to hide the GCash number.)"
Pero nagdududa na raw si Myrtle kung seryoso ba ang kausap niya dahil wala namang bibili ng locked phone.
"Pero medyo duda talaga ako kasi impossible naman na may matinong tao na bibili ng locked phone for P40,000 within minutes na hinahabol namin siya.
"Yung kasama ko doon na official suggested na i-offer namin yung P45,000 para pumayag na lang siya dahil nandun lang talaga siya sa Ever. I waited for their next message, hoping we could come to an agreement," saad niya.
Lalo pa raw nadagdagan ang duda ni Myrtle nang ialerto siya ng recovery emails niya tungkol sa tangkang buksan ang kanyang bank accounts at e-wallets.
Kaya raw pala sa usapan nila sa text, pinipilit ng kausap niya na ibalik ang telepono kinabukasan.
May balak daw pala itong pasukin ang money accounts ni Myrtle.
Lahad ni Myrtle: "Pero instead, maya-maya I started getting alert messages na may nag ttrigger ng reset and login sa online wallets ko, instagram at recovery emails ko. Kaya pala he was insisting na 'bukas'.
"Thankfully, I was able to foresee most of what was happening. Before anything serious could happen, na-secure ko agad lahat ng accounts ko, napa-suspend ko yung SIM ko, at napa-freeze ko yung wallets and banko ko."
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MYRTLE CLARIFIES NO INDECENT MATERIALS ON STOLEN PHONE
Sa ngayon daw, nasa Greenhills, San Juan City na ang location ng kanyang nawawalang telepono.
Pero wala rin daw magagawa ang mga tao sa lokasyon dahil marami-raming cellphones ang ibinibenta roon araw-araw.
Niliinaw rin ni Myrtle na walang hindi kanais-nais na larawan at videos na naka-store sa telepono niya.
Saad niya: "As of today, the phone has moved from Ever Gotesco to Greenhills. We sought help in Greenhills, but with so many phones being sold there every day, wala rin silang nagawa.
"At this point, I also want to address some misinformation I’ve been seeing online. Uulitin ko po sa mga taong nagkakalat ng misinformation: let’s all be respectful here.
"I do not have anything indecent on that phone. I never have, and I never would compromise my faith, values, and principles. The only reason I offered a reward was because of all the hassle that comes with losing a phone."
Ang pinangangambahan lamang daw niya ay ang bultu-bultong materyales para sa kanyang trabaho, cosplay footages, at iba pa na maaaring maglaho kasabay ng pagkawala ng kanyang telepono.
"What I’m worried about are my work files, cosplay footage, gameplay recordings, business contacts, game accounts, important conversations, and years of memories. Including some of my last photos and videos with my Lola before she passed away last month.
"Sobrang sakit talaga na mawalan ng gamit. Pero mas masakit na may mga taong parang babastusin ka pa habang pinagdadaanan mo yung sitwasyon," ani Myrtle.
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MYRTLE SHARES LESSONS FROM HER EXPERIENCE
Marami raw natutunang leksiyon si Myrtle sa pangyayaring ito.
Katulad na lamang daw ng iba't ibang modus ng mga magnanakaw tuwing nasa pampublikong lugar.
Saad niya: "And before I end this, I want to use this experience to warn other people.
"The more I spoke to other victims~ especially fellow cosplayers and convention-goers—the more I noticed na parang may pagkakapareho ang mga naging karanasan namin. And it can happen to anyone.
"Sometimes, all it takes is a few seconds of distraction. Mababangga ka lang kunwari. May kunwaring titingin ng merch. May magpapa-picture.
"Then when you look away for just a few moments… your device is suddenly gone."
Nagbahagi rin si Myrtle ng precautionary measures na maaaring makatulong sa iba.
Ilan sa mga ito ay ang phishing links, password resets, pagtanggal ng devices sa social media accounts, at iba pa.
"These are the things I did that helped protect me:
"Kapag nanakaw ang phone mo, immediately mark it as Lost or lock it. One of the first things that may happen is makatanggap ka ng phishing links pretending to be your phone provider or a recovery service.
"DO NOT click those phishing links. The phishing website will usually tell you that in order to see your phone’s location, you need to enter your phone passcode, email, and password.
"Again, do not enter anything.
"They may also try to compromise your emails through your SIM card by triggering password resets. If possible, use an eSIM or activate a SIM PIN lock.
"Makikita ito sa SIM settings ng phone mo. A SIM PIN lock requires a code before your SIM card can be used on another device.
"Remove the stolen device from your social media and online accounts.
"If you’re logged in on another phone, tablet, or computer, immediately remove the stolen phone from your trusted or logged-in devices. Para hindi nila magamit sa account recovery attempts. And change passwords.
"They may try to access your online wallets and banking apps. Make sure naka-enable ang biometrics at two-factor authentication sa lahat ng accounts mo.
"Contact your bank immediately para ma-freeze ang online banking access if necessary.
"Keep a copy of your IMEI [International Mobile Equipment Identity] number. Makikita ito sa box ng phone mo. If recovery becomes impossible, the IMEI can be used when coordinating with authorities and telecommunications agencies to block the device from being used on mobile networks.
"At the very least, magiging Wi-Fi-only device na lang siya."
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MYRTLE: "Let’s not enable robbery and theft."
Sa huli, sinabi ni Myrtle na masuwerte pa rin siya dahil naagapan niya ang mga importanteng bagay na nakakabit sa nawawalang telepono.
Pinakiusapan din niya ang mga tindahang bumibili ng second-hand phones na maging mapanuri dahil baka galing ito sa nakaw.
"I may have lost a phone. I may have lost some unbacked-up memories and content.
"But I truly believe God protected me from something much worse~ like losing my accounts, being hacked, or having my finances compromised.
"And before I end this story, I just want to say this:
"Let’s not enable robbery and theft. I know there are many honest store owners in Ever Gotesco, Greenhills, and other places who legitimately buy and sell secondhand phones.
"But let’s also acknowledge that there are people who buy devices with very questionable origins and, in doing so, may unknowingly~ or sometimes knowingly… allow this cycle to continue.
"Every stolen phone belongs to someone. Someone worked hard for it. Someone saved up for months or even years to buy it. Someone has memories inside it that can never be replaced.
"Regardless of how cheap a locked / stolen phone is being offered, please remember that there may be a victim on the other side of that transaction."
Sa huli, nagpasalamat si Myrtle sa mga taong tumulong sa kanya mula nang manakaw ang telepono niya.
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