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Filipino Times
8 hours ago
- Filipino Times
BI warns vs. ‘mail-order bride' schemes after foiled trafficking attempt
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) warned the public against the 'mail-order bride' schemes following the interception of a Filipina at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) who attempted to leave the country for an arranged marriage in China. In a statement, BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said such schemes are resurfacing where suspects often deceive women with promises of a better life abroad. 'The mail-order bride trap is rising again—all promise[s] upfront, tricking women into fake marriages and exploiting them as domestic workers with little or no pay,' he added. A 24-year-old woman was stopped on July 15 by officers from the Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) as she attempted to board a Xiamen Airlines flight to Xiamen, China. She claimed she was traveling with her brother to meet her Chinese husband, whom she had recently married. However, her marriage certificate had a visibly altered date, and her marriage license was issued after the reported wedding, raising suspicions. The woman later admitted that both the marriage and the documents were fake. She told authorities that a recruiter had offered her ₱8,000 and promised her a better life if she agreed to an arranged marriage with a Chinese national. The BI said the woman and her companion were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) under the Department of Justice for further investigation and assistance. Earlier this year, BI intercepted two other Filipinas at NAIA who claimed they were going to China to meet their Chinese spouses. Upon investigation, officers discovered that both were married on the same date and time as two other victims. They later admitted their marriages were also fake and arranged by a third party.
Khaleej Times
a day ago
- Khaleej Times
Philippines cracks down on rising 'mail-order bride' scams, warns against fake marriages
The Philippines' Bureau of Immigration (BI) has issued a warning to the public about the resurgence of 'mail-order bride' schemes. This comes after a Filipina woman was recently stopped from leaving the country for China, where she was set to enter into an arranged marriage with a Chinese man, according to 'The mail-order bride trap is rising again — all promise(s) upfront, tricking women into fake marriages and exploiting them as domestic workers with little or no pay,' BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said in a statement. The BI reported that on July 15, personnel from its Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-Probes) stopped a 24-year-old woman at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia). She had been preparing to board a Xiamen Airlines flight to Xiamen, China. The woman initially told immigration officers she was travelling with her brother to reunite with her Chinese husband, whom she claimed to have recently married. However, authorities noticed irregularities in the documents she submitted. 'The marriage certificate showed a visibly altered date, and the marriage license was issued after the wedding — raising serious inconsistencies,' the I-Probes said in its report. After further questioning, the woman admitted that both the marriage and the documents she carried were "fake". She revealed that a recruiter had promised her an improved quality of life in exchange for agreeing to the arranged marriage. She had already received P8,000 (Dh500) from the man she was supposed to marry, to cover her travel expenses. The BI said the woman and the man posing as her brother were handed over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking under the Department of Justice for additional investigation and support. This isn't the first such incident this year. The BI previously intercepted two Filipino women in their early 20s at Naia who also claimed they were headed to China to join their Chinese husbands. Although they said they had been married for some time, inconsistencies in their statements led I-Probes to discover that both weddings happened on the same day and at the same hour. Eventually, the two women confessed that their marriage was "fake". It was also revealed that two additional women are also being wed to Chinese men during the same arranged ceremony, with all paperwork facilitated by an unidentified third party.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Cybercrime in Southeast Asia: ‘Some workers in cyber fraud camps played the victim card'; others faced third-degree torture for missing targets
HYDERABAD: Telangana police have decided to shift its approach and widen the scope of investigation into cybercrime networks operating in Southeast Asia. Now, they will not only target agents who trafficked Indians to cyber fraud camps in countries such as Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar, but will also examine the role of those who returned after allegedly working in these operations. On Thursday, a suo motu case was registered at the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau Police Station against an unknown accused, following a complaint by head constable G Balachander. You Can Also Check: Hyderabad AQI | Weather in Hyderabad | Bank Holidays in Hyderabad | Public Holidays in Hyderabad The move comes after the Bureau of Immigration informed the police on Thursday morning about deportation of two individuals - Athar Khan and Boya Jithender - who returned from cyber fraud camps in Myanmar and Laos. "Those who are wilfully working in the cybercrime dens of Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Myanmar will be questioned, and action will be taken as per law," Cyber Security Bureau director general Shikha Goel told TOI. "Some are hiding under the guise of being victims of cyber slavery. There is an opportunity for them to return, but they stay there with connivance, send money home, and later claim to be victims. We will not take their version at face value - we will examine their role." According to the police, Athar Khan travelled to Bangkok in Oct 2024 and proceeded to Myanmar, where he allegedly worked in a Chinese-run cyber fraud camp named Star Link. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like An engineer reveals: One simple trick to get internet without a subscription Techno Mag Learn More Undo The FIR states, "This company trains its captive employees in methods to cheat Indian victims, imposes monthly cyber fraud targets, and punishes failures with fines and third-degree methods." Boya Jithender, meanwhile, was lured by an agent and flew to Bangkok in November 2024. He later ended up in a camp in the Golden Triangle SEZ, operated by Chinese nationals. Unable to meet targets to cheat people, he approached Indian Embassy and was deported back to India on July 14, 2025. Police suspect both men knowingly worked for these syndicates on a salary basis for over eight months and may have transferred their earnings to relatives through informal channels. "It is requested to thoroughly probe this case, examine the voluntary involvement of the above-mentioned individuals in committing cyber frauds, and take appropriate action against the agents who sent them abroad under the guise of data entry jobs," the complaint states.
GMA Network
6 days ago
- GMA Network
4 Pinoys rescued from online scam hub in Cambodia —BI
Four Filipinos who were rescued from an online scam hub in Cambodia have returned safely to the Philippines, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Wednesday. The workers were repatriated after falling victim to a job scam that lured them to supposed high-paying jobs abroad. Instead, the victims were employed as scammers in online scam firms in Phnom Penh, according to Mao dela Cruz's Super Radyo dzBB report. Three of the victims flew out of the country as tourists while one left through a backdoor exit. 4 na Pilipino na nabiktima ng job scam sa Cambodia, naibalik na ng Bureau of Immigration (BI) sa bansa. | via Mao dela Cruz — DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) July 16, 2025 The victim, who was from Palawan, said he traveled via boat to Malaysia before arriving in Thailand, Myanmar, and then Cambodia. While working, the victims recalled being forced to engage in various online scams, including 'phishing scams.' They also experienced maltreatment and were not paid for months. BI Commissioner Joel Viado condemned the incident and said the agency will strengthen monitoring in the country's ports. He also said the BI is now investigating whether any immigration personnel were involved in the backdoor exit of the victim. Meanwhile, Viado reminded the public to refrain from accepting online job offers and to only transact with licensed agencies. —Sundy Locus/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
6 days ago
- GMA Network
4 Chinese men nabbed for alleged violation of PH immigration laws
Four Chinese citizens were nabbed in Minalin, Pampanga for allegedly violating Philippine immigration laws, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Tuesday. According to BI, an initial investigation showed suspects Ke Jianye, 39; Guo Yilan, 35; Chen Ligan, 47; and Huang Shuirong, 38; were found to be working in a construction firm in Barangay Sto. Domingo despite only having working visas petitioned by a Manila-based company. Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado said Philippine working visas are strictly employer-specific and any deviation from the approved petition constitutes a serious violation of Philippine immigration laws. "Foreign nationals are welcome to work in the Philippines, but they must strictly adhere to the conditions of their visa. Working for a company other than the one that petitioned them is a clear breach of our laws and is grounds for deportation," said Viado. "We will not tolerate visa fraud or any attempt to circumvent immigration processes. Employers who misrepresent or reassign foreign workers without proper clearance will be held accountable,' he added. The suspects are currently undergoing deportation proceedings for violation of the Philippine Immigration Act and may be included in the country's immigration blacklist, Viado said. — Sundy Locus/RF/GMA Integrated News
