00:00The Bureau of Immigration has tightened its investigation on the Filipinos who went through immigration in Naia.
00:05Recently, two women went to Thailand because of their sluggish movements.
00:10Here's the first news, Jonathan Andal.
00:13A co-worker from a call center company introduced himself and took a vacation leave to visit Thailand.
00:22But when he asked, the answer of the two women who faced the immigration officer in Naia did not match.
00:29When they asked about the basic details about each other and their trip, their answers were a bit different.
00:37The truth is that their vacation in Thailand was not really a vacation, but a connecting flight to Laos.
00:45They were only accompanied by a recruiter and were given a pecking document.
00:49They were promised a salary of Php 50,000 per month as a customer service representative.
00:55The fixer they met online was paid Php 3,000 to make the documents.
01:01The two women turned over to the Interagency Council Against Trafficking.
01:05Immigration said that it is possible that the two women will become scammers in Laos,
01:10just like what happened to the other Filipinos who were rescued there.
01:13They target call center agents or those who have experience in call centers because that's their job there.
01:22Seemingly like a BPO, but it's actually a scam hub, scam operations.
01:29If they do not achieve the quota, they are physically tortured, they are not fed, and they are not paid properly.
01:37This August, more than 70 Filipinos were arrested in almost 800 cyber scam networks on the border of Laos, Thailand, and Myanmar.
01:48This is different from the case of other Filipinos who were rescued from illegal recruitment in 2024,
01:53just like the two Filipinos who were arrested in March.
01:56For example, Telco employees who are going on vacation in Thailand, but the truth is that when they arrive in Bangkok, they will be taken to Laos.
02:03There, they were also promised a job as a call center agent in a company that is involved in a crypto investment scam.
02:10A salary of more than Php 50,000 per month if it is regular.
02:14The salary of a Filipino who was recruited to be a customer service representative but made an online love scammer in Laos is almost the same.
02:23But in the end, he did not receive a salary. He was repatriated in May 2024.
02:28Immigration reminds those who want to work abroad to go through the process with the Department of Migrant Workers and do not just believe the scams on social media.
02:37It really looks like a big syndicate is holding this.
02:40Here is the first news. Jonathan Andal for GMA Integrated News.
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