U.S. EMBASSY LAUNCHES “WALANG SIKRETO” CAMPAIGN VS. VISA SCAMS

WITH the goal of reducing visa application scams in the Philippines, U.S. Embassy Manila’s Consular Fraud Prevention Unit today launched a public service campaign that encourages all visa applicants to be honest in their U.S. visa applications, and warns against employing “visa fixers” who charge illegal fees.

The campaign aims to debunk popular myths that exist about applying for U.S. visas, and urges the public to be aware of fraud by seeking more information and reporting suspected fraud on the U.S. Embassy’s official website, manila.usembassy.gov.

Targeting aspiring temporary workers, tourists, and students, many of whom may be vulnerable to the false concept that there are certain “formulas” to assure the approval of a U.S. visa, the theme of the campaign is “Walang Sikreto” (No Secret), and its messages point the public to the official embassy website as the only legitimate source of information they need.

The campaign will air on radio stations across Metro Manila and other areas of the country.

With the support of numerous AM and FM radio networks across the Philippines, this program will benefit the tens of thousands of Filipinos who apply for visas to travel to the United States, and helps put an end to illegal and fraudulent activities.