Beware of scammers offering immigration services on social media, BI chief warns

MANILA, Philippines—Bureau of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Norman Tansingco has warned the public anew of scammers offering immigration services on social media.

This comes after Movement for Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) Chairperson Ka Kuen Chua testified during a Senate Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Committee hearing that there are offers on social media that charge P1 million to P5 million to lift immigration blacklists.

“We have observed that this scam proliferates not only on Facebook, but also in other messaging platforms such as WeChat,” said Tansingco. “There are even some accounts that pretend to be immigration lawyers and legal officers. They create profiles using photos of our employees, their badges, or even the logo of the Bureau,” he shared.

The BI has issued a similar warning back in September last year when reports of fake employees offering illegal services surfaced on social media.

“This is a recurring scam that pops up every now and then,” said Tansingco. “We warn the public not to engage with these scammers. Remain keen to avoid being victimized,” he added.

The BI chief likewise advised the public to immediately report online scams to the Bureau or other law enforcement agencies.