At Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 3 in Pasay City, a woman named Amy, aged 27, was intercepted by Bureau of Immigration officers. Amy had been tricked into paying 120,000 pesos for a fraudulent service promising illegal employment abroad. She was stopped on January 2 while trying to leave the country under the pretense of being a tourist headed to Bangkok, Thailand. According to Mary Jane Hizon, head of the BI Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section, Amy attempted to avoid immigration checks but was caught before she could board her flight. During the inspection, Amy was unable to show her passport and boarding pass, explaining that they were with a man she had met at a nearby restaurant. She showed a photo of her documents, which turned out to have a fake immigration stamp. Amy confessed that she had been deceived by a social media advertisement for an immigration escort service, for which she made multiple online bank transfers. She had given her travel documents to the man and was waiting for an escort who never arrived. Just before her flight was due to depart, she was instructed to hurry to the gate, only to be intercepted by BI officers. It was then discovered that the man had blocked her on messaging platforms. Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado suggested that Amy might have been dealing with a mail-order bride syndicate, pointing out the dangers of such illegal schemes that exploit vulnerable people looking for better opportunities. He emphasized the importance of following proper immigration procedures to avoid becoming a victim of such scams. Amy was subsequently handed over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further assistance.
Scam Victim Caught at NAIA After Falling for Fake Airport Escort Scheme
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