A Filipina was arrested and charged in Canada for duping her countrymen out of more than $1.5 million in a recruitment scam. Imelda Fronda Saluma, owner of GoWest Jobs International was arrested on Wednesday.
Salma will be charged with 39 offences including 11 counts of fraud involving transactions over $5,000 each – nine counts of passing off services – eight counts of fraud under $5,000 and nine counts of obtaining money under false pretenses.
It appears Saluma has had previous troubles under the same recruitment agency as she was charged in January of this year by Halton Regional Police for two counts of fraud over $5,000.
The Philippine Overseas Employment Agency or POEA, had barred GoWest International from recruiting Filipino in 2013 after she was then found in “gross violation of Philippines overseas employment laws.”
The police note that GoWest International took payments from foreign applicants, mostly Filipinos, to produce fraudulent documents, references and employment contracts. The materials were then submitted to foreign government agencies to create the appearance that all the necessary paperwork was in order.
When the applicants tried to follow up – they were denied entry into Canada because of the false documentation submitted on their behalf.
One family in the report noted they sold everything they owned to raise the $24,000 needed to get their child to Canada, only to find out once he landed, no such job or paperwork existed.
Police are requesting any victims or anyone with additional information to come forward and contact them at 416-808-3100, you may also reach them by calling Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477 (you do not have to give your name and information to Crime Stoppers, you can file a complaint anonymously).
Recent posts and posts from as far back as 2011 have been filed against GoWest on various Canadian Visa forum throughout the internet.
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