What is an estafa case?

An estafa case is one in which a single party intentionally defrauds another party, with the necessary requirement that the former party suffers an injury. It is a term exclusive to the legal system of the Philippines.

In an estafa case, the second requirement is not relegated to physical injury alone. If the party loses money or property, an estafa case can be brought against the perpetrator in a court of law. The rules apply even if physical goods are not lost, but the victim is owed goods or money. The three specific designations for estafa cases include disloyalty or abuse of confidence, estafa through fraud, and estafa through false pretenses.