QUEZON CITY, (PIA) — The Department of Migrant Workers (DWM) has issued alerts to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and would-be OFWs about illegal recruiters and syndicates on social media.
The DMW received alerts from the Philippine Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria about possible human trafficking cases involving Filipino individuals to Nigeria and other West African regions.
They have reportedly been arrested in Abuja and Lagos for allegations related to cybercrime, economic sabotage, and violations of immigration regulations in Nigeria.
In Nigeria, you cannot switch a tourist visa to a work visa. Filipinos need to get a Subject to Regularization (STR) visa from the Nigerian Embassy in the Philippines to be able to work.
The DMW warns that recruiting through a foreign country is illegal if neither the recruiter nor the employer has the necessary permission from the Philippine government.
The DMW also warns would-be OFWs of suspiciously immediate and no-charge-flight work overseas as a call center agent. According to the DMW, victims of this scheme are usually sent to Thailand, Singapore, or Vietnam as on-the-spot tourists then sent to Cambodia, Myanmar, or Laos to be scammers.
The DMW advises the public to verify job offers and be critical in order to avoid being victims to illegal recruiters. Report these cases immediately to [email protected] or DMW Facebook page, DMW Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Program.
For illegal recruitment and human trafficking reports, reach out to the DMW Migrant Workers Protection Bureau. You can message them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dmwairtip, send an email to [email protected], or call their hotline at +63 2 8721-0619 for assistance. (JLN/PIA-NCR)
