The Bureau of Immigration (BI) issued a renewed and urgent warning to the public regarding the persistent and aggressive recruitment of Filipinos for offshore scam hubs and catfishing operations. These illicit schemes, often disguised as lucrative overseas job opportunities on social media and messaging apps, are leading victims into human trafficking, forced labor, and severe exploitation.
In direct response to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to escalate efforts against human trafficking and illegal recruitment, the BI continues to collaborate closely with partner agencies. Their joint objective is to detect and prevent attempts to exploit vulnerable Filipinos through fraudulent overseas employment offers.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized the gravity of the situation: “We urge all Filipinos to be extremely cautious and discerning when presented with overseas job offers—especially those that seem too good to be true. The stories we hear involve young, unemployed individuals driven by debt and desperation. Do not be deceived. These are not opportunities—they are traps. We will continue to strengthen our border protection efforts, but prevention starts with awareness.”
The Commissioner’s warning follows a recent interception at NAIA Terminal 3 on July 20, where three individuals—two males and one female—were stopped and subsequently turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). The victims were attempting to depart for Da Nang, Vietnam, via Kuala Lumpur on an Air Asia flight, initially posing as tourists.
One of the male passengers, 24, revealed he was recruited by a former colleague from a BPO company. He was promised a monthly salary of USD 1,200 for an alleged “refunds” position with a famous international airline in Cambodia. Despite initial doubts, severe financial hardship, including a pawned family home, compelled him to proceed.
The 21-year-old female passenger recounted finding her purported customer service representative (CSR) position in Vietnam through a Facebook post, with further details provided via Telegram from an account with Chinese characters. She was offered USD 800 monthly and received fake employment documents via courier just one day before her scheduled flight.
Similarly, the other male passenger, 29, discovered his offer on Telegram, which promised USD 1,500 monthly, a 3 percent commission, and a PHP 25,000 sign-on bonus. He was instructed to pose as a solo tourist and received travel money and documents from a Chinese contact. Disturbingly, he had no contract, no work visa, and was not even informed of the company name in Vietnam.
The BI reiterates that these scammers deliberately prey on the most vulnerable members of society—particularly the unemployed, those burdened by debt, and individuals desperately seeking to provide for their families.
“If a job offer requires you to lie to authorities, travel without proper documents, or deal only through anonymous online contacts, it is almost certainly a scam,” Viado cautioned. “Protect yourself and your loved ones. Report suspicious recruitment activities to authorities immediately.”
