Four overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were trafficked for employment in Laos have returned to the Philippines on October 17 after seeking assistance from the Philippine embassy in Vientiane, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said.
The BI said the victims were originally supposed to be employed in Brunei but were instead trafficked to Laos via Thailand.
According to the OFWs, they were recruited online for a customer service job that promised a salary of up to ₱47,000.
Upon arrival, they were made to do social media work for online scams, and one worker reported being coerced into illegal activities.
The BI added that the victims were forced to work up to 15 hours a day without rest and perform tasks unrelated to their promised jobs.
Authorities continue to monitor cases of human trafficking and urge OFWs to verify employment offers and report suspicious recruitment practices.
