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Singapore-based Filipina files complaint vs recruiters for fake jobs in HK

25 September 2021

By Daisy CL Mandap 

The Consulate's warning against people offering fake jobs in HK 

Another victim of what appears to be a massive recruitment for fake jobs in Hong Kong run by at least four Filipinas based in three different places has come out to complain, after the Philippine Consulate in Hong Kong published an advisory warning against the illicit operation.

Gina Cabactulan said she was duped into sending Php45,000 (HK$7,000) on Apr 11 this year to Honey Mae Rocacurva, daughter of one of the alleged recruiters, Jennifer Rocacurva, who is based in Singapore, and uses the alias Ping or Azu Gonzales on Facebook.

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Rocacurva is named by about 60 victims of the apparent recruitment scam as among three Filipinas who actively promoted the fake jobs of gardener and domestic worker in Hong Kong through Facebook, which has netted the syndicate an estimated Php3million.

The victims who paid anywhere between Php35,000 and Php150,000 to the recruiters, have so far tallied about Php2million in illicit “processing fee” that was collected from them by the scammers. Many others are reportedly still clinging to the group’s promise that they could be deployed in Hong Kong, so have not demanded a refund.

Pindutin para sa detalye

Apart from Rocacurva, two other Filipinas have been identified by the victims as having recruited them for the fake jobs. One is Ruby Ariz Bote, a domestic helper based in Hong Kong who uses the alias Sirhceib Sajor Zirnirem among others, on Facebook; and the other is Christine Joy Smith, who claims to be a former seafarer based in Britain.

Some of the applicants said they were told to pay the processing fee either through bank deposit or the Palawan remittance agency either to Bote’s daughter, Kimberly; or as in this case, Rocacurva’s daughter, Honey Mae, in the Philippines.

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The bulk of the illicit fees was, however, sent to Marilyn Pascua Gregory, another Filipina based in Hong Kong, either through Western Union, or her Hang Seng bank account. This is evidenced by numerous remittance slips and bank deposit slips held by the victims.

The recruiters appeared to have used all means to lure their victims to apply for the non-existent jobs, including befriending them, or using their long-time relationship to assure them of their good faith.

Among the victims were their longtime friends, either in Hong Kong or Singapore, or neighbors in their hometown in Mindanao.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

In Cabactulan’s case, she said she knew Rocacurva personally as they are both working as domestic helpers in Singapore.

Nagsabi siya (Rocacurva) sa akin na may hiring sila for male gardener sa Hong Kong, at ang sabi ay direct hire pero idadaan sa agency. Maayos po ang usapan namin hanggang malaman ko na scam pala ito,” Cabactulan said.

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(She told me they are hiring male gardeners in Hong Kong, and said it is a direct hire coursed through an agency. Our negotiation went well until I learned that it was a scam).

Bank transfer notice clearly shows the money transferred to Rocacurva's daughter

The complainant said she decided to get her husband Sherwin, who is in the Philippines, to apply for the gardener post. To reserve his slot, Rocacurva reportedly gave instructions for the  Php45,000 processing fee to be paid to her daughter’s DBS bank account in the Philippines.

Cabactulan said she started having doubts after Rocacurva kept changing the name of the agency that was supposed to process the paperwork for the Hong Kong jobs. At first, she gave the name of Lotus agency, then it became Angelic, before it finally became Medlink.

Tunghayan ang isa na namang kwentong Dream Love

The recruiter reportedly promised that training will be given on May 12, but then said it did not push through because of the pandemic. She then said the training would be held on May 22. When the day arrived, Rocacurva changed her tune again, saying training will no longer be given but they would just issue a certificate from the government training agency, Tesda.

Doon na ako nagduda kasi sa alam ko hindi pwedeng magbigay ang Tesda ng certificate kung walang training at assessment kaya July last week nag decide kaming mag backout. Wala din kasi ni isang papeles na naipakita,” Cabactulan said.


Tunghayan ang isa na namang Kwentong Dream Love

(That was when I started having doubts because I knew Tesda would not give a certificate without prior training or assessment, so in the last week of July we decided to back out. They also failed to show us any documentation).

That was when Rocacurva shifted to the bullying and shaming mode, calling the applicant  names, and belittling her threat to seek help from the authorities if their money was not refunded.

Rocacurva's photo as shared by applicants

After she was blocked by Rocacurva on messenger, Cabactulan sought help from another chat group the recruiters have named as their “Hongkong office”. While those who reply to people clamoring for refund in this chat group were less abusive, they nevertheless kept up the charade.

“Regarding about your refundables of your Processing Pay, We can’t do the processing this time because there’s no Deployment and also because we can process the previous backout applicant first than you. So, please wait for your turn, okey. Thank you,” said the reply to Cabactulan’s query.

Cabactulan is just one of dozens who have fallen prey to the heartless group. There is Angela Rojas, whose neighbor, Bote, convinced her into parting with her life savings of Php135,000; and Cris Vargas, Bote’s Hong Kong friend, who was tricked into paying Php150,000.

The others who are in the Philippines are in a worse state, with one couple being forced to mortgage their home to pay for the illicit fees, and another giving up a decent-paying job abroad, hoping she could move to Hong Kong with her husband and earn more.

Clearly, only the long arm of the wall would stop illegal recruiters from sucking the blood dry from Filipinos desperate to provide a better future for their families, especially amid one of the worst scourges of our time.

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