02 September 2026, Vienna. Filipino workers and retirees learned practical ways to detect and report different types of fraud and scams, including networking investment schemes and online scams, during the Town Hall Meeting hosted by the Philippine Embassy in Vienna. The focus on fraud and scams aimed to help participants become more proactive protecting themselves from financial crimes. 

Resource persons from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) provided information on practical approaches and remedies available to victims of common financial scams perpetrated by a global web of transnational organized crime using sophisticated methods to entrap regular citizens, including OFWs. These included fake online loans, job scams, phishing and identity theft, impersonation scams, romance scams, money muling, and pyramid schemes that encouraged Filipinos to unwittingly recruit other “investors” to be victimized. The Migrant Workers Office (MWO) also briefed participants on illegal recruitment. 

The town hall meeting included a presentation on the highlights of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA) and portions relevant to the work of the Embassy and Philippine Mission in Vienna, updates on consular services, overseas voting registration, and MWO services.END