Pinoys warned vs. online scams promising jobs in Portugal

Filipinos eyeing overseas employment have been warned against individuals and groups promising jobs in Portugal through e-mails.
 
The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon issued the warning as it noted "continuing cases" of Filipinos being victimized or have received e-mails from alleged companies or law firms in Portugal offering jobs or visa permits for a fee.
 
"Please be aware that business companies with international dealings rarely hire employees solely on the basis of curriculum vitae but will always require personal interviews," the embassy said.
 
In the e-mails, the scammers promise to process the victim's visa permits for employment by having them pay for the service through money transfer.
 
To lend authenticity to the scams, the scammers either misrepresent actual companies in Portugal by using information on their websites but replacing their contact information, or creating websites for fake law firms claiming to process documents for the employment offer.
 
Victims are often asked to transact with these law firms or travel agencies for Entry Clearance Certificates, International Overseas Employment Certificates (IOEC), and Affidavits of Guarantee Fund.
 
The embassy said none of these paperwork are required by Portuguese authorities or are equivalent of the Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) issued by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA).
 
The Embassy said employment offers from Portugal have a corresponding job offer fromthe Portuguese government, which specifies the number of workers needed, a full job description, and the complete details of the employer.
 
"It should also be noted that there is a quota for employment visas for foreign nationals that is reviewed periodically by an inter-agency body.  If presented with a job offer for Portugal, please request for a copy," the embassy said.
 
If faced with a possible fake job offer, the public is encouraged to contact the Embassy in Lisbon through the e-mail Filipinas.emb.lisbon@gmail.com.
 
DFA warns vs. money remittance scams
 
Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) warned Filipinos both in and out of the country against text messages that urge them to deposit money in an unverified bank account in exchange for a huge amount.
 
The DFA issued the warning after it received information from various sources, including victims, about a scam that targets girlfriends or fiancés of foreign soldiers deployed in an international peacekeeping force.
 
"The modus operandi would involve the foreign soldier claiming to have been awarded millions of dollars. He would send a message to his Filipina girlfriend or fiancé informing her of his intention to remit the money to her, on the condition that she first send an initial amount to a bank account specified in the message, purportedly for ‘administrative or tax purposes’," the DFA said.
 
"The said Filipina would then end up being defrauded of thousands of dollars," it added.
 
We advise the public to exercise caution in handling online transactions that involve money transfers to unverified bank accounts. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News

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