The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Friday that the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) apprehended a woman accused of scamming spouses of detained POGO workers out of millions of pesos by posing as a government employee.

BI commissioner Atty. Joel Anthony Viado confirmed that the woman had been blacklisted by the bureau since 2024. She allegedly impersonated a PAOCC and BI employee.

Viado narrated that PAOCC agents apprehended the suspect last Wednesday. She allegedly demanded P1 million from each victim in exchange for the release of their detained spouses.

He condemned her actions and warned the public against falling for fixers.

“This person had absolutely no authority to process anything with the BI. She supposedly posed as a BI employee, which is quite upsetting. We will never tolerate anyone who takes advantage of our procedures for their own benefit,” Viado said.

He also disclosed that the suspect and her travel agency were banned from transacting with the BI last year after she was discovered to have submitted false documentation.

Viado commended the PAOCC for the successful operation, saying, “This is proof of the strong partnership between the bureau and PAOCC in fighting organized crime.”

The BI urged the public not to accept fixer offers and to report them to the agency.