BI foils missionary scam targeting women for illegal work in Thailand

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has uncovered a new human trafficking scheme where victims are made to pose as missionaries for church trips.

BI agents prevented three women from leaving the country on April 1 after they were found to be recruited for illegal employment in Thailand, not a missionary mission.

The victims, two licensed teachers aged 23 and 25, confessed they were recruited by the third woman, a 50-year-old who posed as their congregation's founder and head preacher.

Immigration officers became suspicious due to discrepancies in the women's travel documents.

Further investigation revealed the alleged trafficker had previously traveled to Thailand with a group who did not return to the Philippines.