These Workers Scammed Us.
Don't Let Them Scam You.

We Built Real Relationships

We didn't treat our team like anonymous contractors. We did frequent phone check-ins. We took a genuine interest in their personal lives to build trust and connection. We wanted them to feel like they were part of something, not just filling a seat.

Generous PTO & Benefits

15-20 days of paid time off per year, plus all Filipino national holidays paid, plus 13th-month pay. When you add up the PTO, the paid holidays, and the 13th month, the actual compensation was significantly higher than the base weekly rate.

We Sent Them Equipment

Both Elijah and Sunlyka received a used MacBook Pro shipped internationally so they could do their best work. Those laptops were never returned.

Health Insurance Subsidy

After one year of employment, we offered to subsidize health insurance for their families. A benefit most remote employers in this space never even consider. They never took us up on it because they were already planning their exits.

True Cost of Compensation

When you factor in 15-20 PTO days, all Filipino holidays, 13th-month pay, and the MacBook hardware, the true hourly cost was well above what we were quoted. We invested in people who were actively working against us.

Why This Matters

We weren't exploiting cheap labor overseas. We were trying to do it right: fair pay, real benefits, genuine relationships. And in return, we were scammed, manipulated, mocked in private channels, and had our trust weaponized against us. This site exists so other employers who want to do the right thing don't get blindsided the way we did.

Red Flags During Hiring

• Vague job history with overlapping dates (they may be juggling multiple full-time jobs)
• Reluctance to use company-provided tools or share screens
• Overqualified profiles with suspiciously low rates to get in the door
• Excessive praise during onboarding that vanishes after probation
• Immediate requests for schedule flexibility before proving baseline reliability

Trust Is Earned, Not Given

Never extend full system access, client contact, or strategic visibility on day one. Start every hire in a sandbox. They earn broader access through verified, measurable performance over 30/60/90 day checkpoints. Our ringleader had access to owner-level Slack DMs and used that access to warn his co-conspirators whenever management raised concerns.

Enforce Accountability Infrastructure

• Cameras on during work hours, no exceptions
• Random screen share check-ins (not scheduled, not announced)
• Time-tracked deliverable-based milestones, not vibes-based trust
• Use monitoring software. The workers in this case explicitly researched Slack's privacy policy to confirm their private channel couldn't be read by management
• EOD reports mean nothing if you don't verify the output matches the report

Assume Side Operations Until Proven Otherwise

One of these workers was running 2-3 additional freelance clients during "full-time" hours, earning 200K+ PHP/month on the side. Another was browsing shopping sites and sleeping during shifts. They collectively planned a competing VA agency using the exact skills they were paid to use for us, during our work hours, in our Slack workspace.

Contracts and NDAs Are Non-Negotiable

• Non-compete clauses covering the duration of employment plus 12 months
• Non-solicitation of clients and other employees
• IP assignment for all work produced during employment
• Exclusivity clause requiring disclosure of any other paid work
• Liquidated damages clause for documented misconduct
• Philippines-enforceable jurisdiction if hiring from PH

Platform-Specific Warnings

OnlineJobs.ph is the largest Filipino remote worker platform. It provides ID verification and basic screening, but it cannot protect you from coordinated internal fraud. The platform's employer review system is useful but reviews can be rebutted. Two of the three workers in this case deactivated their profiles after reviews were posted. The third left a rebuttal denying everything documented here. Always verify claims independently.

Never Let Workers Control the Communication Layer

Our operations lead created the private Slack channel specifically because he had already researched that management couldn't read private channels. He then used that channel to coordinate fabricated excuses, coach cover stories, and warn peers whenever the owner expressed concern about someone. If your workers are creating private channels or side communication you can't audit, you have a structural vulnerability.

Watch for the "Coordinated Resignation" Play

These three planned to resign simultaneously in December to collect their 13th month pay (a Philippine labor benefit), after months of coasting. One accidentally revealed she had "already submitted" her resignation. They were also planning their exit around launching a competing VA agency. If multiple team members start acting disengaged around the same time, the coordination may already be underway.