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Dubai OFWs complain of balikbayan box scam


MANILA, Philippines - Some overseas Filipino workers (OFW) have raised alarm over an alleged balikbayan box scam of a certain shipping service in the United Arab Emirates. In an e-mail, concerned OFW Benjie Mar Barnes Jacobo told GMANews.TV that many Filipino workers have been complaining of a cargo forwarder – known as Al Safwa Cargo in Dubai – which has not been delivering their boxes to their respective recipients in the Philippines. “Please help us retrieve our life-earned savings from these companies … more than 100 OFWs became victims of this scam," said Jacobo. He said many Filipino workers in Dubai have told him how Al Safwa picked up their cargos last December but none of these have yet to reach their destinations within the 45-day allowance. He added that some families have even been waiting for six months now. Manny, one of the OFW victims, told Jacobo in the same e-mail that they have already tried contacting the management of the cargo forwarder to ask about their packages. Al Safwa, however, reportedly told them that they cannot say when the cargos will be released. “They admitted that the management is experiencing financial problems and assured that they will settle the finances before May 16. I am not sure though if they are telling the truth or just letting us ride in so we will shut up," said Manny. This, he said, prompted many of them to formally lodge a complaint against the cargo forwarder at the Muraqqabat Police Station in Dubai last week. “The head of the police assured us that they will settle the problem within this week and said that if it will not be settled, we will get back to him for them to settle everything," he said. - GMANews.TV
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