Helsinki Police investigate serious fraud involving nearly one hundred foreign nationals from the Philippines

The Helsinki Police suspect that nearly one hundred foreign nationals have fallen victim to serious fraud. The National Human Trafficking Investigation Team of the Helsinki Police is preparing to file charges regarding a broad suspected criminal operation that misled nearly a hundred victims into paying for a non-existent employment contract with a Finnish cleaning company. According to police, the majority of the victims are from the Philippines.

The investigation has classified the incident as serious fraud. The victims were duped into paying for employment contracts that were never intended to be offered, as well as for the promise of obtaining a residence permit in Finland. The payments ranged between €500 and €1,500 per person for the alleged contracts, with the funds funneled through recruiters to the main suspect. The primary suspect is a cleaning entrepreneur living in the Helsinki metropolitan area, whose business did not intend to hire any employees at any stage.

“It was a case of selling employment contracts, not arranging anyone’s move to Finland,” stated Crime Inspector Sami Isoniemi from the Helsinki Police. In addition to the main suspect, four intermediaries are also under investigation, some of whom are residing abroad.

The police have successfully contacted about half of the victims and have collaborated internationally with various EU countries and the Philippines. The victims found the operation credible and legal enough to apply for a work residence permit to relocate to Finland for employment. All victims paid the Immigration Service’s processing fee of €490, along with other costs associated with the residence permit application, despite the employer having no intention of committing to the process.

The estimated profit from the fraudulent contracts exceeds €100,000, alongside nearly €50,000 in damages incurred from the residence permit processes. The incidents occurred in 2023. Before the investigation was centralized in the Helsinki National Human Trafficking Investigation Team, reports were also recorded with the Western and Eastern Uusimaa police departments. Serious fraud can result in a prison sentence ranging from four months to four years.