The woman had had a “high success” rate in extending such visas in the past, they said, and had personally affixed immigration employment passes on the passports once “approved by the authorities”.

Pinoy Support Group Penang chief Lolita Pranggos said more than 20 of her clients were left in the lurch as they learnt that the visas, despite looking authentic, were fake.

She said the woman had come highly recommended by the Filipino workers in Penang as she offered to “clear” any outstanding immigration offences for RM3,000. For RM9,000 onwards, she said she could secure one a work visa.

Pranggos said the woman moonlighted as an immigration services agent while working as a full-time kindergarten teacher.

She said 14 police reports had been lodged against the woman, including five at the Jalan Patani police station today.

“Some of the victims have given their savings and even borrowed from loan sharks to get their visas,” she told reporters outside the station.

“They do not know what to do after learning that they were given fake work visas.

“We plead to the police and immigration authorities to help legalise them.”

One of the victims, who wanted to be known as Dennis, said he had paid RM10,000 for a general worker visa in February.

He said a friend, who had paid for a similar visa, was deported from Thailand after its immigration authorities found the work visa to be fake.

“I have checked with another immigration agent in Kuala Lumpur and was told that the work visa I was given ‘does not exist’,” the 55-year-old said.

He said a video of the woman sticking an employment pass on a passport had been posted on Instagram, but police dismissed it as “merely a TikTok video” and not incriminating enough.

Meanwhile, a lawyer for the woman alleged to have cheated the group said her client denied all allegations against her and reserved the right to sue those involved.

“As far as we know, the matter had been under police investigation before and my client was never called in. We will wait for further details from the police,” the lawyer told FMT.

Northeast district police chief Soffian Santong said the case had been investigated since February last year, when similar reports were lodged against the same woman.

He said the Filipina, a Malaysian man and a Pakistani national were arrested in February and investigated for cheating.

The Pakistani, he said, was deported after he was found to have overstayed in the country while the Filipina and the Malaysian were released on police bail pending the outcome of the investigation.

Soffian said the prosecutor’s office wanted a further investigation into the case, adding that the probe was delayed due to the movement control order (MCO).

“Rest assured we will investigate the case thoroughly. We have opened four investigating papers to date,” he said.