Many netizens have cried foul over alleged catfishing done by multimedia artist and photographer Sam Morales to some transgender women.
Several trans women took to Twitter to share their catfish stories allegedly set in motion by Sam.
The first to reveal Morales’ alleged twisted scheme was interior design student Jzan Vern, a trans woman from Cebu.
In a series of tweets, Jzan detailed her experience of being catfished.
I got catfished: a (really long) thread pic.twitter.com/5BQ2G5kcif
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
In the thread, she revealed how Sam fooled her into thinking she was chatting with a straight man named Bill Iver Reyes with whom she matched on dating app Tinder.
Jzan said they engaged in an online friendship that later turned into a long-distance relationship as Bill was residing in Makati City.
She admitted that she and Bill even exchanged nude photos and they went as far as planning to live together in Cebu.
Initially libog lang cos bored. So exchanging of nudes lang ganon.But it came to a point where we were already talking about deeper stuff and we were sharing experiences na ganon. So I became invested and asked for his full name so i could lowkey stalk.
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
Bill told Jzan that he was a 24-year-old art director, who also did some modeling.
But when she tried looking for him on social media, nothing turned up.
“Bill Iver Reyes”. I tried stalking pero nothing came up. At first i didnt really bother baka he didnt use his full name on his profile idk. But i never bothered to dig deep. But quick profile, he’s an Art Director for a firm who also models on the side. 24 y/o living in Makati. pic.twitter.com/y3uIIzvNkO
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
Few weeks later, Bill told Jzan that he was going to Cebu for work and planned to see her.
Bill gave her a flight number, but just as Jzan was about to leave for the airport to pick him up, he blocked her on Viber and unmatched her on Tinder.
“Literally after I showered, wala na. Blocked na ako sa Viber, inunmatch na ako sa Tinder and I was mad AF. Of course he’s fake. Lol. Naluha ako kasi naging close kami after weeks of talking. Tapos poser pala. I was right all along,” Jzan said.
She then received her first text from Sam who introduced herself as Bill’s cousin.
Sam apologized on Bill’s behalf, saying he had to rush back to Manila after their aunt died.
Screenshots shared on the thread showed that their exchange of messages happened in July.
Literally after i showered, wala na. Blocked na ako sa viber, inunmatch na ako sa Tinder and i was mad AF. Ofcourse he’s fake lol Naluha ako kasi naging close kami after weeks of talking. Tapos poser pala. I was right all along…until… pic.twitter.com/JGLSyleb8f
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
Still suspecting that Bill was a poser, Jzan asked Sam for a link to Bill’s Facebook account.
Sam sent screenshots of Bill’s Facebook profile after supposedly finishing a shoot.
Jzan said the screenshots look edited.
“So at that point I was convinced he’s 100 percent poser… UNTIL! He video called me,” Jzan said, sharing a video recording of Bill’s call without audio, where he apparently assured her that he wasn’t a poser.
After the video call, Jzan said that she and Bill continued to chat, messaging every day but only calling or Facetiming on rare occasions.
After a big fight where Bill accused Jzan of cheating, she ended up getting in touch with Sam once again, to make sure he was alright.
I then texted Sam knowing siya lang contact ko na friend niya, and asked a favor if he can go to Bil to check up on him pic.twitter.com/jHN3MAQZf6
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
Jzan eventually got on the phone with Sam.
She said she could hear Bill “nagwawala” in the background.
After that, they lost contact for about a week.
Jzan then emailed Bill, and after he responded, they continued to chat for another two months.
Bill eventually made plans to move to Cebu so he could be near Jzan.
Before the move, Jzan said she offered to see Bill first in Manila and meet him in person for the first time.
“I arrived in T4 and while I was waiting for my baggage nag-text siya, nasa labas na daw siya. ‘Fuck ok this is it. Paglabas ko. PUTA HE’S FUCKING REAL,” Jzan narrated.
“I cried kasi na overwhelm ako and was very relieved. Sabi niya ‘hello..’ and then we hugged. It was awkward pero really good,” she added.
I arrived in T4 and while i was waiting for my baggage nagtext siya, nasa labas na daw siya. “Fuck ok this is it” Paglabas ko. PUTA HE’S FUCKING REAL. I cried kasi na overwhelm ako and was very relieved. Sabi niya “hello..” and then we hugged. It was awkward pero really good
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
After hugging for the first time and being overwhelmed, the two had a meal at Jollibee and Jzan noticed that Bill was silent.
When she asked him ‘what’s wrong,’ Bill suddenly said he didn’t want to push through with her anymore.
He then walked out and left her on her own.
Jzan ended up meeting her friends in Manila.
The next day she told them what happened and showed them photos of Bill, one of her friends recognized who the guy in the photo really is—a man named Bilko Argana, who had a girlfriend.
Despite Jzan’s discovery, she and Bilko had patched up and continued their long-distance relationship after she went back to Cebu.
Bilko later apologized for lying and said he didn’t expect their relationship to become so serious that’s why he initially lied about his real identity.
“Minahal na kita, and natakot ako na mawala ka if I told you the truth. I lied about my family as well because I didn’t want then na madamay. But EVERYTHING ELSE IS TRUE. Totoo lahat ng nararamdaman ko. ‘Yung pangalan at sa pamilya ko lang talaga,” Bilko allegedly told Jzan who eventually forgave him.
“Minahal na kita, and natakot ako na mawala ka if i told you the truth. I lied about my family as well because i didnt want then na madamay. But EVERYTHING ELSE IS TRUE. Totoo lahat ng nararamdaman ko. Yung pangalan at sa pamilya ko lang talaga”. (Non verbatim)
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
After a few months, Jzan visited Manila again with friends.
She then asked Bilko if they could meet and he agreed.
However, Bill asked if his cousin Sam could join.
Jzan agreed and she, Bill, and Sam all met when she arrived in Manila.
Eventually he agreed to see me. BUT ONLY IF KASAMA SI SAM. (YES, si Sam na naman..Then they showed up lol pic.twitter.com/jWI8hFNNUc
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
Sam eventually left the two.
After Sam left, Jzan said she asked Bilko for a kiss, but he didn’t want to.
When she asked him why, he apparently said, “Ayaw lang,”
As she was ready to end it, Bill apparently “started fucking” her.
“He came and then said to me ‘masaya ka na?’ I WAS LIKE TANG INA?!?! You fucked me. I just wanted a kiss. Anong MASAYA NA BA AKO?!?!? I came back to my senses we dressed up and I sat down with him,” Jzan wrote.
He came and then said to me “masaya ka na?” I WAS LIKE TANG INA?!?! You fucked me. I just wanted a kiss. Anong MASAYA NA BA AKO?!?!? I came back to my senses we dressed up and I sat down with him. “What the fuck is going on? Ano ba to?”
— Jzan Tero (@JzanVern) March 30, 2020
After Jzan confronted him, Bill finally admitted that all this time it was Sam texting her and pretending to be him.
“Eight months. Ginago nila ako for 8 long months. I never expected someone this talented to be this fucked up. She’s worked with big names and brands in the industry. WHO WOULD’VE FUCKING THOUGHT?!?” Jzan said in the thread.
According to Jzan, an apologetic Sam reached out to her after the revelation to explain her side.
Sam cited childhood bullying done by homosexuals that fueled her need for revenge by targeting gay or trans people and making them fall in love.
“My feelings? ‘Yung pagkatao ko? ‘Yung oras, pera lahat lahat na ininvest ko for this!!?! THIS IS FUCKED UP. I cried. I didn’t know how to feel. So I tried to forget EVERYTHING and tried to move on. But wala. It’s been eating me for the past few weeks,” Jzan said.
“I had no one to share ‘cos even ako don’t understand how fucked up this situation is. So I stayed silent. But I realized I’m not get let you motherfuckers get away with this. You guys are fucked up in the head. I just wanted to love and be loved. I DONT DESERVE THIS. NO ONE DOES,” she concluded.
After Jzan’s big revelation, Sam’s other victims surfaced on social media.
https://twitter.com/ishsexi6/status/1244791212936060928?s=19
I am standing up not just for myself but for all those trans who have been victimized by this disgusting act ; I am a Victim of Catfishing by Sam Morales and i chose to stand up and help stop this!
— Josh Dela Rosa (@illuminaticurls) March 30, 2020
I was a victim of Sam Morales too. We matched on Tinder and moved our converstion to Viber, we talked for a while and even exchanged compromising photos and videos thinking I was speaking to Bil. I knew her and was friends with her mom wtf! #SamMoralesIsOverParty pic.twitter.com/B41U3lv6hm
— Sood Ali (@soodvianzonali) March 30, 2020
https://twitter.com/serusingma/status/1244739945614290944?s=19
The first victim of Sam Morales was her gay high school teacher, I think.
This should bring her victim count to at least 5.
Ang lala. She's been this cruel since HS. Definitely a sociopath.#SamMorales pic.twitter.com/N0vArbGBCc
— DeeDee Marié Holliday #DragIsNotACrime (@DeeDeeMarieH) March 30, 2020
Miss Steph Santiago From Orani Bataan another Victim of this BULLSHIT SAM MORALES!!! pic.twitter.com/bWLGWEc09f
— Aidnace Walsh Clark 🏳️⚧️ (@lahingpalaka) March 30, 2020
Sa sobrang iniisip ko kung sino tinanong ko sa tito ko (na beki) kung kilala nia tapos shuta sinubukan din dawsyang landiin b4 n always initiates vidcall nga if sinasabi niang "baka poser ka" pero eventually naging cold daw nung sinabi ng tito ko na nakikita sya sa san pablo lol pic.twitter.com/JnaP7z4MH5
— Drew (@dnlldreeewr) March 30, 2020
Here’s anothe story about her this is my mom! She was manipulated by Sam, by actually telling her na May Cancer daw ang Nanay nya and my Mom as a Cancer Survivor helped her. Even raised funds for her mom then lahat pala yun ay Gawa Gawa lang! pic.twitter.com/SZ84RahyTB
— Aidnace Walsh Clark 🏳️⚧️ (@lahingpalaka) March 30, 2020
Internet star Mimiyuuuh and other social media influencers have also expressed their anger at the disrespect and lies.
“Hello po sa mga kaibigan natin sa fashion industry. Hindi niyo deserve ang isang Sam Morales,” Mimiyuuuh tweeted.
“You are all working hard tapos babahiran lang ng kadumihan ng isang babaeng ito. DON’T HIRE SAM MORALES!!! LET HER SUFFER!!!! JZAN DESERVE BETTER!!! LET’S PROTECT OUR TRANS FAMILY!!!” she added.
Hello po sa mga kaibigan natin sa fashion industry. Hindi niyo deserve ang isang Sam Morales. You are all working hard tapos babahiran lang ng kadumihan ng isang babaeng ito. DON’T HIRE SAM MORALES!!! LET HER SUFFER!!!! JZAN DESERVE BETTER!!! LET’S PROTECT OUR TRANS FAMILY!!! https://t.co/n6rm1IOkLj
— mimiyuuuh 🦖 (@mimiyuuuh) March 30, 2020
Sam, who claims to be affiliated with fashion brands such as H&M and Jag, has yet to make an official statement about the accusations.
One Comment