THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) has intercepted 14 victims of cat phishing syndicates before they could board their flights bound to Thailand enroute to their final destinations.
Catphishing, or catfishing, is a type of online scam where someone creates a fake online account to lure unsuspecting victims into a relationship or a fraudulent scheme.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado yesterday expressed alarm over the rising cases of catphishing victims, noting that the apprehension of the 14 happened just one day apart.
The first wave of interceptions, according to Viado, occurred on February 4, when three victims, aged 33, 25, and 27, were rescued at Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) while trying to board a Philippine Airlines flight bound to Thailand.
The BI’s Immigration Protection and Border Enforcement Section (I-PROBES) reported to Viado’s office that the passengers appeared to be first-time travelers on a self-funded trip to Thailand.
“However, their conflicting responses during initial questioning raised suspicions, prompting their referral for further inspection,” Viado said, adding that during questioning, they eventually admitted that they were recruited to work in Cambodia as customer service representatives for a business process outsourcing company.
The following day, or on February 5, immigration agents apprehended 11 individuals in their mid-20s while attempting to board the same airline bound for Bangkok, Thailand.
Viado said the second batch of victims initially claimed they were students and were embarking on a four-day trip to Thailand, but their inconsistent answers triggered further investigation.
“Questioning revealed that the victims had been lured with promises of P50,000 monthly pay to work at fraudulent BPOs in Pakistan,” the BI chief said, adding their recruiter had instructed the victims to pose as students on vacation and to conceal their Pakistani visas.
Viado said traffickers usually lure their victims by promising lucrative online gaming jobs abroad, but they ultimately become “catfishers,” targeting Western men on dating apps and tricking them into investing in fake cryptocurrency accounts.
The syndicates instruct their recruits to fabricate employment with local agencies to conceal their true intention of working abroad to immigration authorities.
Viado said the 14 victims were taken to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) for assistance while authorities are trying to identify their recruiters.
