US Embassy to public: Beware of online visa, job scams

MANILA, Philippines – The United States Embassy in Manila on Thursday warned visa applicants to watch out for and avoid dealing with scammers promising successful visa applications, and even overseas jobs.

Speaking at a press conference on the anti-fraud campaign of the embassy’s Consular Section, Fraud Prevention Manager Leon Gendin said scammers would usually “use a variety of social media platforms to push their message to attract their potential customers.”

Officials of the United States Embassy in Manila field questions from reporters during a press conference on the Consular Section’s anti-fraud campaign on Thursday, August 15, 2019. Shown in photo are (from left) Leon Gendin, Fraud Prevention Manager; Kimberly Kelly, Deputy Consul General and Heather Fabrikant, Press Attaché. (Photo by Christia Marie Ramos/INQUIRER.net)

“The common typical scam involves a scammer who claims to have some influence over visa processes or visa service that the US Embassy provides,” Gendin said.

He further noted that scammers would also advertise “too good to be true employment offers.”

“Part of that pitch that they do is often guarantee a visa,” he said.

“If someone claims to have an influence of process or guarantees a visa, the public should know it is a scam. Because no one can guarantee a US visa,”Gendin added. /gsg