The Philippines Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) shut down the Manila office of Dubai-based firm Legal Connect Travel Consultancy for offering fake jobs in Italy and Malta to overseas Filipino workers (OFW) and prospective overseas job seekers, reports The Business Mirror. The DMW, through its Migrant Workers Protection Bureau (MWPB), acted on three complaints from applicants whose applications were either stalled or ignored by Legal Connect after the company collected placement fees from them. Two of the complaints were from Dubai-based OFWs, while the third complaint was lodged by an applicant in Manila.

Legal Connect, which was found to be operating without a valid DMW license, lures unsuspecting applicants with promises of agricultural jobs as fruit and vegetable pickers, dairy farm workers as well as caregivers in Italy and hotel crew service jobs in Malta. Legal Connect offered monthly salaries ranging from PHP 60,000 (USD 1,066) to PHP 100,000 (USD 1,777) but imposed “processing” fees ranging from PHP 250,000 (USD 4,444) to PHP 380,000 (USD 6,754) .

Officers and personnel of Legal Connect are now facing serious charges of illegal recruitment committed by a syndicate, which is punishable by life imprisonment and fines ranging from PHP 2,000,000 (USD 35,552) to PHP 5,000,000 (USD 88,875). In addition, the company’s officers and personnel will be blacklisted from participating in the government’s overseas recruitment program.