Internet operators preying on OFWs named
breaking news from, http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20090105-181510/...
Internet operators preying on OFWs named
By Cynthia Balana
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 13:38:00 01/05/2009
Filed Under: Overseas Employment, Internet, Safety of Citizens
MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippine Embassy in The Hague has identified six scam operators who are using the Internet to set up fake job postings and offer cash prizes to Filipino jobseekers.
In a warning posted on its website, the embassy said that the scam operators have been stealing the identities and contact information of legitimate companies or creating bogus companies in perpetrating various acts of fraud.
“Filipinos are hereby alerted to avoid any involvement in the following scams:
• RESERVE PETROLEUM NEDERLAND BV (dealing with job contracts);
• BIOTAL (dealing with cash prizes);
• SNS SECURITIES NV (dealing with investment scams);
• EUROPEAN LOTTERY GUILD (dealing with online lotteries);
• SAXO FINANCIAL ONLINE BANK (dealing with online lotteries); and
• GLOBALUM LOTTERY PROMOTIONS (dealing with online lotteries).”
It said that many Filipinos who received information from these sources were mostly based in the Middle East.
“The embassy wishes to inform the public that these are just some of the dozens of Internet, mail and phone scams circulating in Europe. It is most likely that these scammers have established fake addresses in various European countries,” the warning said.
The embassy advised the public to ignore these fictitious announcements and not to remit any amount to any bank.
It also asked jobseekers to check the Internet for additional information on the background of offers.
“If you have been a victim of such activities, you may wish to provide information to your nearest police station, or to the Philippine Embassy inThe Hague. You may wish to send your queries by email at [email protected],” the embassy added.
The embassy said that the Reserve Petroleum Nederland BV was reported to have victimized Filipinos working in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with promises of employment contracts in Europe, provided they paid the processing fees.
Accordingly, the modus operandi of Reserve Petroleum Nederland BV was sending emails to unsuspecting Filipinos with an attached copy of an official letter of appointment, assuring them of qualified employment in the Netherlands.
The so-called official letter would then mention the scope of the work, an attractive salary package, fringe benefits, grants and other supposed entitlements. The email sender would then direct recipients to pay a certain amount to cover the fees of visa and/or work/residence permit.
The said amount was supposedly required by the Dutch Ministry of Interior. Once recipients gave in and paid the fees, they were then advised to pay additional fees to cover the cost of registering their documents.
The Philippine Embassy in London also received similar complaints and warned Filipinos against falling victims to Internet scams.
