In a proactive move at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 3 in Pasay City, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) successfully intercepted five Filipinos who were on the brink of boarding a flight to Hong Kong. These individuals, consisting of four men and one woman, were allegedly recruited through social media platforms to join scam operations disguised as online gambling or call center jobs in Cambodia.
The group attempted to leave the country on February 15, presenting themselves as tourists heading to Hong Kong on a Cebu Pacific flight. They claimed employment at well-known restaurants and establishments in the Philippines and entered the immigration area in two separate groups, feigning ignorance of each other’s presence.
However, immigration officers, alerted by suspicious documents, subjected them to further scrutiny. During secondary interviews, the passengers confessed that their ultimate destination was Cambodia, where they were promised jobs at a business process outsourcing (BPO) company after a stopover in Hong Kong.
One of the victims revealed his unawareness of being recruited for scam operations and his lack of knowledge about cryptocurrency. Another admitted to joining the scheme out of necessity to support a sick family member. All were enticed with monthly salaries ranging from PHP30,000 to PHP50,000, including free accommodation.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado issued a stern warning to Filipinos seeking overseas employment, urging them to thoroughly vet job offers, particularly those offering unusually high salaries. He emphasized that many of these supposed customer service positions are fronts for extensive scam networks exploiting unsuspecting workers.