The Philippines has secured a dubious distinction, emerging as the second-largest target for employment fraud in the entire Asia-Pacific region. This alarming finding comes from a new report by SEEK, the parent company of popular job platforms Jobstreet and Jobsdb.
Scale of the Problem in Apac
According to data released for International Fraud Awareness Week, the Philippines accounted for a staggering 20 percent of all job scam attempts tracked by SEEK across the region. The data was collected from July 2024 to June 2025 and covered six Asian markets plus Australia and New Zealand.
Indonesia held the top spot as the region's fraud hotspot, representing 38 percent of Apac scam attempts and 62 percent within Asia alone. The report highlights a growing trend where scammers are carefully tailoring their deceptive schemes to match the specific job market conditions of each country.
Most Targeted Jobs and Scammer Tactics
Across Asia, certain roles are far more vulnerable to fraudulent job ads. Administration and office support positions are the most targeted, making up 29 percent of fake listings. This is followed by roles in manufacturing, transport, and logistics at 16 percent, with sales positions also remaining a common target for scammers.
In the Philippine context, fraud attempts frequently zero in on accounting, sales, healthcare, medical, administrative, manufacturing, and logistics positions. These are roles that typically attract a high volume of applicants, many of whom are seeking immediate employment.
Tom Rhind, SEEK's Head of Trust & Safety, explained the vulnerability of these roles: "Administration and office support roles are particularly vulnerable because they typically don't require specialised degrees or extensive experience. Sales positions show similar patterns, as these roles often promise immediate employment and commission-based earnings."
In a concerning evolution, scammers have now begun leveraging artificial intelligence to produce more convincing job scams. They are also impersonating legitimate platforms like SEEK and Jobstreet through SMS, messaging apps, and social media. In the Philippines, Viber has become one of the most commonly used channels for these fraudulent attempts.
Platform Defenses and Job Seeker Protection
As the country's leading employment marketplace, Jobstreet by SEEK stated it implements strict controls to prevent exploitative recruitment and modern slavery. Its Trust & Safety team actively verifies hirers, while a combination of automated systems and manual moderation screens every job posting. The platform also encourages candidates to report any suspicious listings they encounter.
The company's robust systems scan all 4.3 million job advertisements across Apac, with eight percent of these being escalated for manual review. This rigorous process has prevented 3,600 questionable hirers from joining its platforms, led to the closure of 650 accounts linked to fraud or high-risk behavior, and resulted in the removal of nearly 2,800 risky ads.
Additionally, job seekers themselves have played a crucial role in flagging potential threats, reporting approximately 22,000 suspicious posts for review by the Trust & Safety team.
Jobstreet by SEEK confirmed it is continuously upgrading its fraud-detection systems, strengthening verification processes, and collaborating with government and industry partners. Through its Security & Privacy Hub, the company also focuses on educating job seekers about safe job searching practices and raising awareness about common scam tactics.
