24 Filipinos repatriated from Cambodia scam

On Monday, the Bureau of Immigration reported the return of 24 Filipinos who were rescued from scam operations in Cambodia.

The repatriated individuals, consisting of nine men and 14 women, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport on August 23 aboard a Philippine Airlines flight from Phnom Penh with assistance from the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia.

They were recruited through social media with promises of high-paying jobs but ended up working as love scammers in catphishing syndicates targeting European men, receiving only around USD300 monthly while facing physical and verbal abuse.

Some victims reported being sold to other companies, likening their experience to modern-day slavery; one victim left the country with his entire family for a supposed holiday but was diverted to Cambodia for work.

On Sunday, two more potential victims were intercepted at an Air Asia flight bound for Thailand; they initially claimed to be tourists but admitted to being promised jobs abroad and were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance.

BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado warned aspiring overseas workers about illegal recruitment schemes and emphasized the need to investigate recruiters involved in these operations, urging everyone not to risk their safety on promises of easy money or quick deployment.