This undated photo shows the facade of the Bureau of Immigration’s main office in the city of Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has intercepted six presumed victims of an alleged crypto-trafficking syndicate while about to fly out of the country through the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and the Clark International Airport (CIA).
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval on Monday said three of the victims were intercepted at the Naia while the three others were at the CIA ready to board a flight to Bangkok, Thailand.
“They were invited ng mga scammers through social media. Sila ay inalok ng trabaho abroad, in-offer-an sila ng malalaking salaries,” Sandoval said in a public briefing.
(They were offered jobs abroad with high salaries.)
She said some were offered P40,000 a month salary and the others were offered 800 to 1,000 US dollars monthly.
The victims, however, were instructed to leave the country illegally and pose as tourists in a group.
It was during the inspection by immigration officers that they were apprehended, Sandoval said.
“Nakita na maraming red flags and doubtful sa kanilang mga statements,” she said.
(Their declarations had numerous red flags and incomprehensible phrases.)
She said the victims were supposedly offered jobs in e-gaming companies and business process outsourcing (BPO) firms but the BI suspects these are related to crypto-trafficking.
“We are worried na may ganitong mga scam and we are also advising the public na huwag nilang tanggapin ‘yung mga ganitong offers to work abroad immediately,” Sandoval said.
(We are worried about these kinds of scams, so we advise the public that they should not take up job offers abroad easily and immediately.)
There have been numerous reports of Filipino citizens recruited and trafficked by cryptocurrency scam companies that physically abuse their victims abroad.
The BI earlier relieved two of its personnel due to suspected ties to human trafficking syndicates.
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