OFWs, kin warned vs. OWWA benefits scam

Cacdac said that any OWWA benefits and programs may only be processed directly with the agency. (Pixabay photo)

MANILA— The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) on Tuesday cautioned overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and their families to be wary of scammers pretending to be connected with the agency.

OWWA Administrator Hans Leo Cacdac issued the warning after receiving reports of unscrupulous individuals offering services to unsuspecting victims and that they could help them process OWWA benefits quickly.

“We must avoid scammers and fixers, who are falsely claiming that they can process OWWA benefits for OFWs,” he said in his Twitter account, @HansLeoCacdac.

The modus operandi of the scammers is that they introduce themselves to potential victims after which they offer their services and ask for a processing fee of PHP6,000.

Cacdac said that any OWWA benefits and programs may only be processed directly with the agency.

“For any information regarding our programs or services for our OFWs, let us directly ask our OWWA offices,” he added.

With this, the public is to send their concerns through the agency’s website and Facebook page or via 0917-TXTOWWA (8986992).

Some of the benefits provided by OWWA to Filipinos working abroad and their relatives are Disability and Dismemberment Benefits; Death Benefit; Education for Development Scholarship Program (EDSP); Skills-for-Employment –Scholarship Program (SESP); Balik-Pinas! Balik-Hanapbuhay! Program; and OFW-Enterprise Development and Loan Program (OFW-EDLP), among others.