(June 13, 2025) – Three Filipinos repatriated from Cambodia revealed they were forced to work in scam hubs targeting fellow Filipinos, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Friday.
The victims, two men and a woman, arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 on June 6 from Phnom Penh, the bureau said. Their names were withheld in line with anti-trafficking laws.
“It is deeply concerning that these syndicates are now targeting Filipinos as their victims in both ways—by forcing them to be scammers and tricking their fellow Pinoys,” BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a news release.
According to the BI, the victims initially left the country pretending to be tourists, but were recruited for illegal work abroad. They had been promised a monthly salary of $1,000, free lodging, and regular days off.
Viado said the third victim suffered harsher conditions, including a quota system and fines of up to $2,000 for failing to meet targets.
He added that one of the victims said he was forced to scam Filipinos through online betting schemes and fake investment and loan offers.
“Two of them were grateful to have been housed outside the company premises, as this gave them the opportunity to contact the embassy and seek help,” said Viado.
The inter-agency council against trafficking provided assistance to the victims upon their return.
Over the past few months, hundreds of Filipinos have been rescued after falling victim to illegal recruitment and human trafficking, mostly in scam hubs in Southeast Asia.
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In 2024, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police investigated 417 cases of human trafficking, surging from 277 cases in the previous year.
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