To be a victim of human trafficking is one of the worst things that can happen to a person who only wants to work and earn a decent living. This illegal activity is very inhumane because the victims are thrown into the pit of  forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation.

Fortunately, different organizations all over the world are now working to eradicate human trafficking or what they call “modern day slavery. In the Philippines, the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO) recently launched a hotline number that victims of human trafficking can call for assistance.

Through the “1343 Actionline Against Human Trafficking” project of the CFO, victims of human trafficking can easily seek for help by calling the hotline numbers:

For those from the Philippines, the number to call is: (02) 1343

For those calling from abroad, the number to call is: (632) 1343

Reminder to Applicants:

Be a wise jobseeker by knowing the legal process of overseas job application and your right as an applicant. Keep in mind the tips below:

• You are not supposed to pay any application fee. Application forms and other application documents should be for free. An agency would only be allowed to request 50% of the placement fee amount once you have been selected by an employer and signed an employment contract

• A medical examination is done only after an applicant is hired. It only has a validity of 3 months so it should not be required at the star tof the application process.

• Do not submit original documents to the agency. You will present the original documents but only the photocopies of the original documents should be given to the agency. Your documents such as passport, birth certificate etc, are personal property so you should be allowed to keep it.

People who are looking for overseas job opportunities should be extra careful as they are the targets of many illegal schemes and scams. Many falls into the trap of job scams because they are lured by the attractive promises and sweet tongues of swindlers. Illegal recruiters usually succeed in getting the hard-earned money of unsuspicious individuals by promising jobs abroad with high pay and great benefits.

Learn some of the most common ways to identify  overseas employment scams.