With the resumption of non-essential outbound travels of Filipinos, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) warned the public anew on the illegal recruitment schemes involving the use of fake travel documents and misdeclaration of purpose of overseas travel.

(MANILA BULLETIN)
POEA said that it has received reports from the Bureau of Immigration on apprehended individuals - who claimed to be traveling as OFWs - but were found using “forged travel documents” such fake visas and overseas employment certificates (OECs).
“Some individuals were also apprehended for using false identities and fake passports,” the POEA said.
Related to this, the POEA reminded Filipinos who are intending to work overseas to “first secure their proper travel and overseas employment documents.” These requirements include their work permits/vis and OECs. “These must be in possession of their travel documents while traveling,” the Administration reminded.
The POEA also reiterated that applicants - who leave the country as tourists with the intention of working overseas - are the ones usually “prone to abuse and maltreatment.”
POEA warned that this so-called tourist-to-work scheme offered by some travel agencies and immigration consultants to job seekers is regarded as a “form of illegal recruitment.”
Given this, the POEA urges the public to report this kind of illegal recruitment schemes and any suspicious activities on recruitment scams to POEA Operations and Surveillance Division by sending an email at [email protected].