120 illegally recruited OFWs repatriated from scam hubs

A TOTAL of 120 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were illegally recruited to work in scam hubs have been successfully brought home from Laos, Cambodia, and Myanmar, according to the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW).

In a statement, the DMW said the 120 OFWs, who were trafficked to work in the online scamming and cyber-fraud industry, were recently repatriated.

“Almost half of the number of victims are registered OFWs and were recruited from their job sites through fraudulent online job offers, particularly in the online scamming and cyber-fraud industry,” said the DMW.

“Many were promised high-paying jobs but ended up being forced to work under abusive and exploitative conditions,” it added.

The Department said all of them received immediate financial assistance upon their return.

They were also referred to concerned agencies for reintegration assistance and support.

Because of the dangers posed by illegal recruitment activities, the Department reiterated its warning to OFW hopefuls against illegal recruiters and syndicates.

DMW Assistant Secretary Jerome Alcantara said applicants must be particularly vigilant against “red flags” such as job offers that are “too good to be true,” backdoor exit points, dubious employment documents, and other schemes.

“Ang ginagawa po ng mga human traffickers ay hinihikayat sila online, pinapangakuan ng malaking sahod at benepisyo kaya naeengganyo silang sumama, only to find out that they will be virtually imprisoned sa mga scam hubs,” Alcantara said.

(What human traffickers do is lure them online, promising high salaries and benefits, which entices them to go, only to find out that they will be virtually imprisoned in scam hubs.) (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)