DMW Secretary Cacdac Issues Urgent Warning on Illegal Recruitment of OFWs
In a stern advisory, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac has emphasized that the absence of a valid license from the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) should be regarded as the foremost indicator of illegal recruitment activities targeting aspiring overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).
Vigilance Against Deceptive Tactics
Cacdac urged job-seeking Filipinos to remain highly alert against both face-to-face and online methods employed by illegal recruiters and organized syndicates. "We have been warning against illegal recruitment for a long time. Our warning is simple: if it does not go through the DMW, that is the number one red flag," he stated.
The Secretary specifically highlighted the risks associated with recruitment via social media platforms, noting that individuals approached through channels like Telegram or Facebook are likely dealing with fraudulent operators. "If the person you are talking to is all Telegram, Facebook, or social media, it is clearly a scam," Cacdac cautioned.
Links to Cybercrime and Exploitation
He further warned that job offers disseminated through social media are frequently connected to cybercrime activities, including widespread cyberfraud schemes across Southeast Asia. This alert follows the recent repatriation of 190 distressed OFWs from Cambodia, most of whom were recruited through online job postings only to find themselves working in scam hubs under abusive and exploitative conditions.
The DMW's reminder underscores the critical need for prospective OFWs to verify recruitment credentials and avoid falling victim to illegal practices that jeopardize their safety and well-being abroad.
