BI warns public against forged signature scams

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has issued a warning against scams that use forged signatures of immigration officials to extort money from the public.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado reported receiving a falsified document with his forged signature and that of another alleged immigration officer, addressed to a resident of Pampanga.

The fraudulent letter, written in poor English with factual inconsistencies, described a fabricated case of a detained foreign national and threatened legal action for money laundering.

The scammers demanded the recipient contact an alleged BI officer via Facebook and a mobile number, and cited unregistered payments to a bank account.

Viado believes the scheme is a form of love scam, designed to make victims believe their foreign partners are detained by the government to extract money.

The BI Commissioner urged the public to be vigilant and reminded them that the Bureau does not authorize payments through personal accounts or communicate through unofficial channels.