OFWs victimized by online ‘compensation’ scam

Several overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East have fallen victim to an online scam perpetrated through a social networking site.

The online scam was operated by a so-called “Middle East Compensation Package” account on a professional social networking site.

The account sends messages to OFWs promising that they will receive their compensation package after they pay a certain amount to a bank.

“The recipients were instructed to make arrangements with [a certain] bank for the release of this compensation,” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement Wednesday.

READ: DFA warns OFWs vs pyramiding scam in Kuwait

The Philippine Embassy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, however, consulted with the bank’s IT and Fraud Department and found that there was no such “compensation package.”

It was a scam designed to steal money from OFWs who are hopeful of getting the said compensation.

“The bank requested the police to trace the [contact details of the scammer] indicated in the message,” DFA said.

“Several overseas Filipinos have already been victimized by scam operators who have designed schemes promising business or personal partnerships,” it said.

READ: 9 common scams on social media

DFA urged the public to be vigilant in dealing and communicating with unknown individuals on social networking sites.

OFWs should also be very careful in giving out their personal information to suspicious offerings on the internet.

The Middle East region is among the most popular destinations of OFWs.

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