They come with promises of love and even marriage. After stealing hearts, they go for their real target - stealing cash.

This is how the Bureau of Immigration described the Nigerian love scam after arresting 3 Nigerian nationals involved in a "love scam" targeting Filipino women.

The suspects, aged between 27 and 41, were captured in an operation in Cavite last Feb. 16.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said the modus operandi of the group is the same: using fake names, they meet up with lonely women with promises of marriage before scamming them of their cash.

"Yes mukha po nila. Mini-meet nila ang victims nila, pinupuntahan nila pero kinikikilan nila after some time," she told TeleRadyo.

"Very unfortunate po dahil marami silang nabibiktima na mga kababayan natin, mga kababaihan na naloloko sa kanilang mga pangako," she added.

Sandoval said the scammers pretend there is an emergency at home or their credit cards were rejected, in order to get money from the victims.

"Wag basta maniniwala sa ganitong manloloko. Nagpapaibig tapos kikikilan kayo..." she said.

Authorities are checking if the Nigerians are involved with a South African organized crime group.