THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) issued an advisory cautioning the public against scammers operating fake websites charging fees for registration in the eTravel.
With the upcoming long weekend and the expected influx of travelers, the BI urges vigilance to avoid falling victim to online scams.
Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco emphasized that registration in the eTravel platform is entirely free of charge. He urged travelers to register only through the government’s official website at https://etravel.gov.ph to avoid falling for fraudulent schemes.
“We advise the traveling public to be cautious and register exclusively on the official government website, or through the eGovPH application. The eTravel registration process is absolutely free of charge,” stated Commissioner Tansingco.
Tansingco encouraged individuals encountering fraudulent websites or entities demanding online payments to report them immediately to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC) via their hotline at 1326.
The warning comes in response to reports of passengers being duped by fake eTravel websites, allegedly charged between P3,000 to P5,000 in supposed fees.
Launched earlier this year, eTravel serves as a single data collection platform for arriving and departing passengers, integrating border control, health surveillance, and economic data analysis. The joint project involves several government agencies, including the Department of Tourism (DOT), the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), and the Department of Transportation (DOTr), among others.
Meanwhile, the BI reported the deployment of eTravel kiosks in major international airports, as provided by airport authorities and the DICT. “We are thankful to our partners in government for providing these kiosks for use of the traveling public,” said Tansingco.
