Manila: The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) has flagged online and third-country recruitment as among prevalent human trafficking schemes targeting Filipinos seeking overseas jobs, noting that it has taken down hundreds of thousands of suspicious recruitment posts since 2022. According to Philippines News Agency, during a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview on Friday, DMW Undersecretary Darlene Pajarito stated that third-country recruitment involves overseas Filipinos who are offered jobs in another country, only to discover that the promised work either does not exist or is different from what was offered. Pajarito explained that the prevalent trafficking schemes include third-country recruitment, where Filipinos already abroad, either as tourists or workers nearing the end of their contracts, are recruited and offered seemingly attractive jobs in a third country. However, these jobs often turn out to be nonexistent or not as described. She added that recruitment has increasingly shifted online due to t echnology, making it more difficult to prevent deception through online recruitment. Scammers now utilize social media and other platforms to entice applicants with supposedly attractive overseas jobs. Pajarito warned applicants to be cautious of recruiters who pressure them to pay immediately by claiming that only a few job slots remain and require recruitment payments through digital platforms. The DMW's Anti-Illegal Recruitment and Trafficking in Persons Division actively monitors online posts and coordinates with Meta Philippines and TikTok Philippines to remove suspicious recruitment content. She mentioned that there is a memorandum of agreement with Meta Philippines and TikTok Philippines to report suspicious content immediately, which the companies promptly take down. From 2022 to 2026, approximately 230,000 posts have been removed. Pajarito urged jobseekers to verify both the recruitment agency and the job offer through the DMW website before submitting documents or making payments. She also remind ed applicants to check whether the job offer is among those listed by the DMW. The DMW has imposed requirements that recruitment companies must meet before obtaining a license, including demonstrating financial capacity, having a market for deployment, and showing knowledge and competence in operating a recruitment agency. Recruitment licenses can be suspended, revoked, or canceled if agencies violate rules. Pajarito noted that workers can file complaints with the DMW's Legal Assistance Division or through the anti-illegal recruitment and trafficking in persons Facebook page. For overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) facing abuse, contract violations, or trafficking abroad, Migrant Workers Offices provide assistance, including access to local lawyers. The DMW also coordinates with Philippine embassies and consulates, as well as foreign governments, when an OFW needs to be rescued. Recruitment agencies are required to keep track of workers they deploy and check on their welfare. The DMW conducts pre-employment, pre-departure, pre-migration, and post-arrival orientations to help prospective and newly deployed workers understand the migration process and prepare themselves for life abroad, as well as for their families who will remain.