A group of Filipino-Canadians in Montreal are asking questions about a money-transferring company after funds they tried to send to the Philippines disappeared.

They were sending the money to family and friends in the Philippines after the area was hit by a series of typhoons in October.

The president of the money-transferring company, Go-Remit Inc., has filed a report with Montreal police saying he was robbed.

David Nowak sent a letter to his customers promising to pay the money back, though he didn't know how long it would take.

About a dozen women stood outside Go-Remit's office in the Montreal neighbourhood of Côte-des-Neiges on Friday. One of the women, Remedius Raquel Yao, said she sent $1,500 to the Philippines, but it never got there.

"I actually collected that money from friends, family relatives, and it was specifically for flood victims in my mother's village," Yao said.

"Those people who are actually expecting that money, you kill their spirit, you kill a little bit of that hope," she said.

Nowak has been unavailable for comment, but Const. Christian Émond of the Montreal police fraud squad confirmed that he had filed a robbery report.

Émond said Nowak's clients could take solace from his letter.

"It's always good news when the person stays in business. It's always bad news when they close shop and disappear," he said.

Émond said police have received more than 20 complaints about Nowak and are investigating the case.