Singapore seeks PNP help vs scam on hospital jobs

NAGA CITY—The government of Singapore is seeking the help of the Philippine National Police in putting a stop to a scam that entices nurses from the Philippines to apply for nonexistent jobs at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).

The Singaporean Embassy, in an advisory to the PNP, said it found that the legitimate e-mail addresses of SGH are being used without permission from the hospital by persons involved in the fraud.

Among those alerted over the weekend was the PNP in Masbate province, a known hot spot for trafficking in persons in the country.

Senior Supt. Heriberto Olitoquit, Masbate police chief, said the provincial police force spread the advisory throughout Masbate through leaflets warning people not to believe job offers which are being sent through addresses: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].

Olitoquit said SGH did not authorize the job notices.

The fraudulent e-mails, he said, demand payment of about P123,500 per applicant allegedly as “visa interview preparation fee.”

He said the online job advertisement of SGH is being used to victimize applicants.

The e-mails, according to the police chief, contained forged signatures of the human resources director of SGH.

Plan International, an international nongovernment organization advocating children’s rights, in a statement said 157 cases of human trafficking have been reported in Masbate from 2007 to 2010.