Philippine authorities raided a suspected online scam farm in Manila, arresting around 400 foreign nationals, many of whom were Chinese. The operation allegedly targeted victims abroad and violated immigration laws. The raid follows a government ban on Philippine online gaming operators (POGO) due to their alleged links with organized crime.
This photo taken on Jul 18, 2024, shows a detained former scam centre worker walking along the detention rooms of a scam centre in Manila that has been shut down by police. MANILA: Around 400 foreign nationals were arrested on Wednesday in a"large-scale" raid on a suspected online scam farm in Manila, the national immigration agency said.
Authorities raided a building and found workers allegedly engaged in online scam operations targeting victims abroad."Their operations were found to be in violation of immigration laws and posed significant risks to the public," Fortunato Manahan, the Bureau of Immigration intelligence division chief, said in a statement describing the latest raid.
The Bureau of Immigration had been monitoring the"POGO-like activities" of the raided company"for some time", the statement said. The foreign nationals, many of whom were Chinese, were undergoing booking procedures, immigration bureau spokeswoman Dana Sandoval told AFP.The Washington-based think-tank United States Institute of Peace said in a May 2024 report that online scammers target millions of victims around the world and rake in annual revenues of US$64 billion.
It estimates the industry employs half a million workers, including 15,000 in the Philippines, who were recruited mainly via social media and were then forced to carry out scams, facing torture if they failed to meet quotas.We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with CNA to be fast, secure and the best it can possibly be.
Philippines Online Scam POGO Immigration Raid Foreign Nationals
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