Miguel Tanfelix loses P20K in Brazil restaurant scam due to birthday distraction

· Miguel Tanfelix revealed he lost P20,000 after accidentally overpaying a restaurant bill while backpacking in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

· The actor admitted he was sentimental and distracted on his first night, leading him to mistake P2,000 for P20,000

· Despite attempting to get a refund and reviewing CCTV footage, the restaurant refused to reimburse him due to insufficient proof

· Miguel accepted the loss, joking that the P20,000 was his "birthday gift" to the person who took the money

Celebrity heartthrob Miguel Tanfelix shared a cautionary tale from his adventurous backpacking trip across South America, revealing that a moment of emotional distraction led to him losing a staggering P20,000 after being scammed at a restaurant in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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The story, which he recounted during an interview on “Fast Talk With Boy Abunda,” offers a personal look at the vulnerabilities travelers face, especially in unfamiliar territory.

Miguel embarked on his extensive South American journey in September to celebrate his 27th birthday, exploring iconic locations like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Buenos Aires in Argentina, and the historic Machu Picchu in Peru. However, his first night in Rio set a costly precedent.

“Na-scam lang ako ng 20,000 kasi first night ko sa Rio kumain ako sa restaurant. Ngayon, ‘yung pagkain ko medyo malungkot ako ‘non dahil birthday ko sa Pilipinas,” Miguel explained, setting the scene.

He admitted that the occasion—being his birthday in the Philippines while he was alone abroad—had made him feel melancholy and distracted. “So medyo senti and siguro not paying attention,” he admitted.

The star detailed the costly mistake that occurred when he paid the bill. The actual cost of his meal was approximately P2,000 (roughly 200 Brazilian Reals).

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In his emotional state and likely due to currency confusion, Miguel miscounted the cash he handed over to the waiter.

“Ang nabigay ko 20 bills ng 100, dapat 10 lang,” he revealed. This simple but devastating error meant that instead of paying the correct P2,000, he mistakenly paid P20,000.

The huge loss was only realized the following day when he checked his wallet and noticed the significant amount of missing money.

“So instead of 2,000 pesos ang naibigay ko ay 20,000 pesos. Kinabukasan ko na lang na-realize noong tumingin ako sa wallet ko na ang daming nawala. Then kinonnect-connect ko,” he added.

Hoping to rectify the mistake, Miguel returned to the restaurant daily and spoke directly with the owner, attempting to get a refund for the massive overpayment.

They even reviewed the restaurant’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, but without clear visual evidence of him handing over the twenty bills, the restaurant was unwilling to reimburse him.

Faced with the lack of sufficient proof and realizing the battle was fruitless, Miguel decided to accept the loss with a sense of resignation.

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Displaying a mature acceptance of the bad luck, he decided to turn the negative experience into a positive gesture, saying: “Binalikan ko. Araw-araw akong nandoon sa restaurant na ‘yon, kausap ko 'yung owner. Ni-re-review namin 'yung CCTV kaso walang pruweba, walang malinaw na footage na nagbigay ako ng 20 bills. So sabi ko, birthday ko naman, regalo ko na sa kaniya ‘yon.”

The incident serves as a candid lesson for anyone traveling internationally: always remain vigilant, even when celebrating or feeling emotionally vulnerable, to avoid becoming an easy target for scams or costly mistakes.

Miguel is part of the cast of “KMJS’ Gabi ng Lagim The Movie,” which features three horror stories brought to life by a star-studded ensemble that includes Jillian Ward, Sanya Lopez, Elijah Canlas, and several others. The film is scheduled to hit theaters beginning November 26.

Recently, Miguel collapsed while shooting a horror scene in a smoke-filled basement of a ship in Manila Bay. The actor recalled warning the director moments before losing consciousness. Medics rushed to check his condition; his blood pressure later stabilized. Miguel stars in the anthology film alongside Jillian Ward, Sanya Lopez, Elijah Canlas, and more, showing in cinemas starting November 26.

A couple of years ago, Miguel had a lovely guest appearance on Saturday’s episode of “It’s Showtime.” He treated the Madlang People to an entertaining opening number with Baby Dolls. The “Voltes V: Legacy” star also joined the hosts in carrying the boxes in the “Rampanalo” segment. Due to the said guesting, “#MiguelTanfelix” and “MIGUELTANFELIX ON ITSSHOWTIME” became trending topics on X, formerly Twitter.

Source: KAMI.com.gh