Are you an aspiring OFW looking for opportunities? Watch out for illegal recruitment scams that eave you in an emotional and financial quagmire. Statista reported a staggering 1,1807 cases of illegal recruitment in 2021 up from 1,463 in 2020 in the Philippines. These scams don’t only rob you money but leave you vulnerable to exploitation. Before signing a contract or pay a fee, arm yourself with this awareness & knowledge. Stay safe in your job search, don’t let scammers ruin your dreams.

 

Know the red flags of an illegal recruiter

These red flags or signs tell that an agency is untrustworthy or has previous cases of illegal recruitment. Exercise caution when dealing with recruiters who pressure you into paying fees or providing financial information, as this may be a sign of a potential scam.

1. Asks for immediate payment via money transfers.

2. Conducts recruitment and interviews in restaurants and other unusual locations. 

3. Offers to work abroad under tourist visas – It’s illegal for foreigners to work under tourist visas. 

4. Unclear and conflicting info in the contract – What has been promised is not reflected in the contract. There might be unclear info about location, company names, employer, and job nature.

5. Unlicensed agency

6. Offers jobs without DMW-approved job orders.

 

Apply only to legit agencies

1. Shows a valid DMW license – its number shows on the agency website or job ad. You can also verify them through DMW list. Take note that some agencies are previously licensed but have had their licenses revoked or suspended due to recruitment violations. For instance, look at these recent agencies with revoked licences. 

2. Makes valid fees – Generally agencies don’t charge applicants. They collect fees from principal employers, although some legit recruiters charge applicants with an amount not more than “1-months” salary. There’s a growing advocacy for a “no placement fee” policy to reduce the burden or prevent the debt trap of migrant workers. 

3. Shows a reputable reputation both offline and online – A legit agency maintains a strong reputation online and offline. Happy OFWs are eager to share their positive experiences with others, while illegals recruiter will quickly accumulate negative reviews and warnings from dissatisfied clients. By doing your research and reading reviews from multiple sources, you can make an informed decision about which agencies to trust with your career plans.

4. History of reputable hiring process - Legit agencies have a history of successful and reputable hiring process as reflected through records, testimonials, and legit reviews online and offline. 

 

Check the agency online 

DMW provides a database where you can sort out the job order by agency, position, and principal. You can also visit each of the legit manpower agency’s website showing a DMW licence number.

 

Avoid making hasty decisions

Scammers use urgency tactics to entice potential victims to make quick decision and evade scrutiny. It’s essential to step back and avoid making hasty decisions. Remember these scammers are skilled at manipulating emotions and making a sense of urgency to get you to act fast. Don’t take your desperation or excitement cloud your decisions. Research the company, it’s reputation, the contact number, and job offer. Verify the credentials of the agency, recruiter, or email. Be wary of job offers that require you to pay a fee such as for seminar or reservation fees. Legit agencies don’t do that. Your dream job is worth the wait, not the risk. Keep your guard up, stay informed and always prioritize your safety.

 

Never work under a visit or tourist visa

A country’s immigration law designates a visit or tourist visa for tourism purposes only. A country’s immigration office can fine, jail and deport foreigners who work under a tourist visa.  So you can’t work paid or unpaid. To avoid illegal recruitment, only accept job offers with a valid working visa processed by a reliable manpower agency.

Take note that the Philippine Bureau of Immigration is wary of tourist visa holders with the intention to work in Middle Eastern countries and thus offload passengers.

 

Verify the job ad

When you're looking for a job, it's important to make sure that it's legitimate and aligns with your skills and interests.

1. Know via DMW website.

2. Check the job ad website – A site with scanty content and without the https or secure sign are red flags.

3. Check the important details via a search engine – Check the worksite of the project and the job ad. 

4. Check the social media - Some legit recruitment agencies have verified check marks. You can also check forum or specific discussion pages pertaining to OFW recruitment.

 

Exercise caution when encountering job ads on social media.

The ease of signing up and posting online opens the door for scammers. An example is a job for mushroom pickers in Canada. The ad inflated the number of vacancies and salary. Legit job ads come from the official/legit social media pages, or websites of a recruitment and government agency. 

 

Approach offers that seem too good to be true with skepticism.

If a job offer is too good to be true, then it’s a red flag for a scam job ad and possible illegal recruitment. For example, illegal recruiters frequently inflate the salaries. Such job ad includes a mushroom picker that attracted Facebook users who aspire to greener pastures in Canada. When you see a job ad, it’s useful to have a healthy skepticism to ensure that such a job is far from being a scam. A thorough research of the job position’s industry standard will help.

 

Know these forms of illegal recruitment

These clandestine recruitment styles constitute illegal recruitment

1. Backdoor Points Scheme - This refers to an illicit practice where individuals or entities manipulate or bypass established processes for obtaining points or qualifications in recruitment procedures.

2. Direct hiring- Recruitment by foreign employers without undergoing licensed agencies. They go abroad undocumented and without protection.

3. Escort services – Undocumented workers are escorted out of the airport exits to evade immigration checkpoints or custom

4. Seminars and training schemes – Students leave under the training program but in reality, land a job in that training establishment. 

5. By email and VOIP programs – Illegal recruiters may use email and VOIP (Skype, WhatsApp) to lure aspirants about job offers that are too good to be true. Think about (Can you recall any instance that you applied for such out of the blue job offer?)

 

Learn more about these keywords tied to Scams or shady job offers

Online scammers typically employ deceptive tactics to lure unsuspecting individuals with promises of job opportunities. These scammers exploit the desperation and vulnerability of jobseekers, seeking to deceive them for financial gain. It is crucial to be aware of the common keywords used by these scammers to identify and avoid falling victim to their fraudulent schemes.

- Guaranteed/Quick riches

• Get rich quick

• Guaranteed returns

• Fast easy money

- No experience necessary

• Immediate start

• No experience required

• No skills needed

- Pressure tactics

• Act now

• Limited slots available

• Limited time offer

• Urgent response needed

- Upfront payment/fees

• Investment opportunity with initial payment

• Pay upfront for training/seminar

• Processing fees required
   

The bottom line

Avoiding illegal recruitment constitutes readiness, thorough research and awareness of the drive of government to wipe out bogus agencies and their job ads. Your awareness of these reminders can help you avoid illegal recruiters, ensure a safe and successful job search, and help other OFWs and the government enforce its laws 

 

Useful sources:

Commission on Overseas Filipinos 

Department of Foreign Affairs - Philippine Missions Abroad

Department of Migrant Workers (DMW)

Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking

international Labor organization