MANILA— A woman whose photos were featured on a “sugar daddy” dating site has come forward to report that her images were used without her consent, and that she was never a member of the platform that has seen a rise in sign-ups in the Philippines.

Niña Hernando, a 23-year-old online English tutor, said was shocked to see her blurred photos in ABS-CBN News’ report on Sugarbook, a dating site that links sugar babies with sugar daddies in a largely financial arrangement. She said friends and relatives had recognized her, and that it caused her emotional distress.

“This incident gave me a lot of stress, anxiety and sleepless nights. My whole family was anxious and worried. I’m already in a state of healing and currently taking a break from social media to focus on myself. Then I was surprised that my friends started to message me about my photo being misused,” she told ABS-CBN News.

• READ: Dangerous or empowering? Signups on sugar daddy dating site rise among young women in PH amid pandemic

Hernando’s family later learned that her photos were submitted to Sugarbook by a former high school classmate who signed up for the dating site. That former classmate was one of those interviewed by ABS-CBN News for the Sugarbook story.

Sugarbook had provided the photos to ABS-CBN News for the story that came out Friday morning.

When Hernando reached out to ABS-CBN News to report the misuse of her photos, Sugarbook at first insisted the photos given were of “real people in Sugarbook.” Sugarbook also asserted “the photos were used with permission and they have signed release documents and NDAs (non-disclosure agreements).”

By Friday evening, Sugarbook conceded “this is identity theft.”

“After careful investigation, Sugarbook traced the account to my high school classmate. She admitted that she sent my pictures to the Sugarbook team, who asked for pictures to be featured for an article – which turned out to be for ABS-CBN,” Hernando said.

Hernando said her former classmate “didn’t want to be identified, given that she told her true story in the article, that’s why she didn’t use her own pictures.”

“With the current pandemic, a lot of us are experiencing different challenges. However, nothing can justify identity theft and other immoral/illegal activities to earn income,” Hernando said.

Sugarbook said it would no longer issue any comment on the matter. Previously, it had emphasized the safety of the platform, including a vetting process of members with the required submission of a copy of their passport, an ID, and credit card and utility billing statements.

Hernando’s mother Jackie lamented how the incident has affected her daughter, who she described “very hardworking.”

"She would begin her classes 12:00 p.m. and end it at 2:00 a.m. After that she will study about VULs (variable universal life insurance), investments, stocks, and forex because she is currently enrolled in an Australian-based trading school in the Philippines. I've witnessed how she worked hard halos, wala nang tulog (almost no sleep) because she hopes to become a businesswoman and public speaker someday. Tapos ganon-ganon na lang gagamiting image niya (then her image will be misused like that),“ said Hernando’s mom.

Contrary to the lifestyle that sugar dating promotes, Hernando said she works to build her own life, teaching 13 hours a day and investing in stocks.

“I work 13 hours a day conducting classes online for my Japanese, Korean, Thai, and Taiwanese students to teach beginner, advance and business English. With this, I would only have two days off in a month. I’m also a licensed Financial and Wealth Coach, spreading awareness on the importance of managing and protecting finances, ultimately leading to a healthy and abundant life,” she said.

An advocate of female empowerment, she encouraged the young generation to lay low on posting on social media and instead invest in their future.

“I encourage the current generation to invest: invest financially and invest in oneself. Now is the right time to invest, given that the (Philippine Stock Market) market is recovering exponentially, after the dip brought about by the pandemic,” she said.