BI warns online ‘fixers’

The Bureau of Immigration has warned the public against scammers on Facebook posing as BI employees.

BI Commissioner Jaime Morente said they have received reports of “fake” employees offering assistance for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) bound for Japan and the Middle East.

In one report, according to Morente, scammers used the social media photos of one of their alien control officers to create a fake account that offers services in several Facebook groups.

Scammers had allegedly collected P670,000 from several victims.

Morente advised the public not transact or deal with fixers posing as BI workers.

He said the bureau does not condone such activities and asked the public to report attempts to “fix” their papers.

Meanwhile, Morente called out those behind a viral TikTok video that encourages Filipinos wishing to teach in Thailand to lie to immigration officers about their purpose of visit.

The bureau reiterated its warning to the public that circumventing the law only puts OFW in danger of being exploited abroad.

Morente also said that all OFW are required to secure the necessary permits from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration that will be presented to the BI upon departure.