Twenty Filipinos allegedly trafficked into scam operations in Cambodia were repatriated this week, as authorities renewed warnings over online recruitment schemes promising high-paying jobs abroad.
The Department of Migrant Workers said on Friday that the repatriation was carried out through the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh and the Migrant Workers Office in Singapore amid growing concern over Filipinos being recruited into cyber scam hubs in Southeast Asia.
Authorities said many victims were lured through social media and messaging apps with offers of jobs in information technology, customer service and online support, often promising unusually high salaries.
Instead, recruits allegedly ended up working in scam compounds linked to human trafficking networks operating across Cambodia and Thailand.
Government agencies provided financial, legal and welfare assistance upon the victims’ arrival, including support from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, the Bureau of Immigration and anti-trafficking task forces at the airport.
The DMW urged job seekers to verify overseas offers through legitimate channels and warned against recruiters operating solely through online platforms.
Regional anti-trafficking groups have flagged the rapid spread of scam compounds across Southeast Asia, where workers are allegedly forced into online fraud operations under threats, debt bondage and physical intimidation.
The victims arrived Wednesday at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 aboard a flight from Phnom Penh.