Manila: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has issued a stern warning to Filipinos about accepting job offers tied to online scam hubs in Cambodia, highlighting the nation's rigid law against technology-based fraud, which includes scam hubs. The DMW stressed that workers recruited into such operations could face arrest.
According to Philippines News Agency, DMW Undersecretary Felicitas Bay revealed that approximately 13,000 Filipinos are employed in Cambodia across various sectors such as education, healthcare, information technology, and sales. However, she noted that there are currently 32 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who fell victim to scam hub recruiters and are now taking refuge at the Migrant Workers Office (MWO). Meanwhile, 51 Filipinos remain detained in Cambodia as authorities work to determine if they were victims of human trafficking or participants in the scam operations.
Bay elaborated on the situation, stating, "Ilan yung nasa shelter natin ngayon na mga human trafficking victims? Thirty two. Sila yung nagkusang-loob na pumunta sa shelter. Ayon sa aming data, ilan yung nandun sa provincial prison doon? Sa Batambang ay 23. Sa Sihanoukville ay 28 (How many human trafficking victims are currently in our shelter? Thirty two. They were the ones who voluntarily went to the shelter. According to our data, how many are in the provincial prison there? In Batambang, there are 23. In Sihanoukville, it is 28). So total of 51," she said.
The crackdown comes as Cambodia begins enforcing its Law on Combating Technology-Based Fraud, which imposes severe criminal penalties on those involved in online scam operations. The legislation empowers the Commission for Combating Online Scam (CCOS) to investigate, dismantle, and prosecute transnational cyber fraud and human trafficking networks.
Bay further explained that individuals convicted of operating online scam activities, especially those involving organized groups, human trafficking, labor exploitation, or forced criminality, face prison terms ranging from five to 20 years. Recruiters and trainers could be sentenced to five to 10 years, and those involved in gathering personal information for criminal purposes could face one to three years' imprisonment.
In light of these developments, the Philippine government has retained legal assistance to help determine whether the detained individuals were trafficked into scam compounds or knowingly participated in the operations. Bay noted the complexity of the situation, as the Philippines treats trafficked workers as victims, while Cambodia's law may initially consider them offenders due to their involvement in scam operations.
"We see our OFWs or those who are human trafficking victims as victims, but since there is an offense or a criminal liability, sila ay nakokonsider sa bansang (they are considered in) Cambodia as perpetrators," she added.
Bay urged Filipinos to be cautious of recruitment offers on social media that promise jobs as marketing assistants or customer service representatives, warning that many end up in scam compounds. "Kung kayo ay nasa scam hub, lumabas na dyan sa inyong operations at magtungo sa embahada o sa (If you are in a scam hub, get out of your operations and go to the embassy or the) migrant workers office," she advised.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac echoed the warning, advising Filipinos against pursuing plans to work in scam hubs in Cambodia or Myanmar and to trust their instincts if they sense something is amiss. "We need to add na yung mga nagbabalak nating kababayan pumunta sa Cambodia or Myanmar scam farms, huwag na ho magpatuloy. Kasi deportation ang kararatnan, posibleng makulong pa ng ilang araw dahil iniimbestigahan, at hindi po ka-nais-nais ang karanasan. Kaya huwag na ho magpatuloy (those planning to go to Cambodia or Myanmar scam farms, please do not proceed. Because deportation will be the consequence, you might even be jailed for a few days due to the investigation, and it is not a desirable experience. So please don't continue)," he said.
