Reports of Filipinos allegedly trafficked and coerced into working in scam operations across Southeast Asia continue to reach the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The DFA is coordinating with its embassies in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia to assist distressed nationals and is urging local authorities for cooperation, according to a statement.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has recently seen a steady stream of repatriated scam victims. The most recent case involved four Filipino men, ages 27 to 46, who were flown home from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, via Philippine Airlines on 12 July.

According to the BI, three of the men left the Philippines posing as tourists. The fourth man reportedly used a backdoor route, traveling from Palawan to Kota Kinabalu via speedboat, then moving through Thailand and Myanmar before reaching Cambodia.

“He described experiencing maltreatment, long working hours, and months without pay — eventually escaping and seeking help from the Philippine Embassy,” the BI disclosed.

Another case reported by the BI involved a 25-year-old man repatriated from Cambodia late Sunday. He was allegedly forced to carry out “love scams” by sending “wrong messages” that led to flirtatious exchanges. Both victims reportedly suffered maltreatment when they failed to meet imposed quotas.

The DFA reiterated its call for Filipinos seeking work abroad to follow legal deployment procedures set by the Department of Migrant Workers. The agency also urged families to contact Philippine embassies if they believe their relatives may be trapped in scam compounds.