MANILA – The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) and the Philippine National Police – Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) have joined forces to strengthen the crackdown on online recruitment scams targeting overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families.Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with PNP-ACG acting director Maj. Gen. Andre Dizon in Mandaluyong City on Thursday to improve the detection, reporting and investigation of online illegal recruitment, including digital exploitation and other cybercrimes involving migrant workers, according to a news release.During the signing, Cacdac stressed the importance of ensuring the legitimacy of a recruitment agency before applying, especially before handing money over to these recruiters.“To every OFW and every family member, before you apply, verify. Check if the agency is licensed and the job order is approved by the DMW. Never pay fees to a personal account, and if you see something suspicious online, report it to the DMW,” he said.“From today, your report will not stop at our desk — it will reach the cybercrime investigators who can act on it. Together, we send a clear message to those who use the internet to deceive and exploit our migrant workers that the government is online too and we will find you,“ he added.The partnership, Cacdac said, establishes a referral mechanism for complaints from OFWs and their families, allowing reports received by the DMW to reach PNP-ACG investigators for immediate and appropriate action.Under the agreement, the two agencies will include information on online scams, digital literacy, illegal recruitment and human trafficking in the Pre-Employment Orientation Seminar.They will also conduct training on emerging cybercrime schemes, case-building and information-sharing, and coordinate investigations involving online illegal recruitment, trafficking, fraud and identity theft.Dizon, meanwhile, called for stronger cooperation in enforcing the law and making cyberspace safer for Filipino migrant workers.“Sama-sama natin palakasin ang ating mga pagsisikap na protektahan ang ating mga migrant workers. Itaguyod ang batas at tiyakin ang isang mas ligtas na cyberspace para sa bawat Pilipino (Together, let us strengthen our efforts to protect our migrant workers. We must uphold the law and ensure a safer cyberspace for every Filipino),” he said. (PNA)
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