Bureau of Immigration (BI) officers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 reported the arrival of three Filipino repatriates from Laos.

The Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) reported to BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco the repatriation of three Pinays last Friday, 12 April.

According to the I-PROBES, the victims arrived in the country via an AirAsia flight from Vientiane after being held by a scam hub in the region.

The three victims admitted that they had been offered jobs as call center representatives, but like other repatriates, they had been forced to work as scammers conducting love scams.

The Interpol has expressed concern about the gangs and scammers operating in Southeast Asia that are involved in online romance scam centers that the bureau first sounded the alarm about the modus in 2022.

Former victims recounted how they were forced to use dating services to get Western guys to open fictitious Bitcoin accounts. According to the victims, they experienced physical assault in the instance that they failed to meet their quota.

According to the Interpol, an organized crime group can make up to $50 billion a year, as reported by publications.

“There’s no sign that these traffickers will stop,” said Tansingco. “Until there are more victims that they can scam and more Filipinos that they can dupe to join their illegal scheme, then this problem can keep on growing,” he added.

The BI chief also stated that, apart from strict departure formalities, he has ordered a strong communications campaign to inform the public about the modus.