Helper gone missing

K

kathyh

Registered User
My helper Emma just simply went missing as she did not return from renewing her passport yesterday!! She has left only the old clothes in the bags. How can she do this to an employer who cooks and cares for her and her children in Philippines?
What should I beware of that I don't know? Help.
 
Rani thanks.
You're an angel - you've even attached the link !!

Should I be expecting the loan sharks visit as I've asked around my neighbor and found out that she owes some people some money- now, she's gone!
I'm not really afraid of the loan sharks but just very worry about her safety.
 
Our previous helper borrowed some money before she left. The collection agency asked us to fax them a copy of the acknowledgment letter from Immigration confirming her termination. You should receive this a couple weeks after you complete the online form. After we faxed over the letter the telephone calls stopped.

If she's borrowed a large amount of money, I've heard the loansharks may pressure her family in the Philippines to pay off the loan.
 
i would also file a missing persons report at the police station... just in case something terrible has happened. also, you'll have a report number from the police that you can provide to any collection agents that may come calling.
 
Make sure nothing is missing from your home...valuables that it. If so you need to make a police report and possibly change the locks on your doors.
 
What a bad situation. We have been through this (somehow she racked up almost HK$60k worth of debt!) and all the above advice is good:
1. Contact immigration via the link posted by Rani and terminate her contract
2. Hold on to the acknowledgement letter Immigration sends you
3. Contact police to file a missing persons report, just in case
4. Change your locks
5. She may get in touch with you saying that she really needs help (crying and all the rest) - think about how you will handle if if this does happen

Unfortunately, if she has fled due to debt issues and the debt collectors come calling it can be a real pain (it happened to us). If they do call you, ask for the name of the agency, their license number and a contact phone and fax number. Fax them the termination letter from immigration and tell them to never contact you again (this usually works). If the same agency contacts you again, then lodge a harassment complaint with the police.

If a debt collector shows up at your home, don't let them in, don't talk to them, if you have building security, call them and also make a harassment complaint with the police immediately. We had what I would consider a couple thugs show up at just before 10pm a few years ago and try to come in to look for her. One of the guys shoved his foot in the door when I tried to close it. It was a really frightening experience. If you live in a building with security/ a doorman it is a good idea to let them know that your helper has gone and to not let any dodgy looking men come up to your place (I believe they told Parkview security that they were contractors come to repair some appliance or something to get up to our place).

Anyway, I hope none of this happens and you are able to move past her departure quickly.
 
Heartful appreciation to Rani, Carang, Mummymoo and Elle - thanks for all of your suggestions. So far, I have
1. changed the locks,
2. notified the guard about her disappearance
3. trying to get the Head of Security to change the password of the front door
4. Wrote the letter to Immigration - will post/fax tmw morning
5. Done the police report (yesterday) but will file for 'missing person' tomorrow
5. Valuables - nothing missing so far !

What I still find difficult and struggling inside me is that, somehow I still care very much for her - she had only worked for me for about 9 months and we had shared a lot during this time. I even gave her a free ticket to Cebu as a X'mas gift so that she was able to spend her X'mas with her children after being away for 4 years. I am also a mother and I feel very sorry for her being away to work and having to support her cheating husband.

I gave her a laptop to use so that she was able to communicate with her kids - I've been restoring the items in the Recycle Bin - there is no proof so far of her planning to leave or pictures of her with 'guys', but there are some googling on 'love and kisses' and also Indian songs and Nepali stuff - I wonder if she had fallen in love with an Indian/Nepali and 'eloped'!

It's strange as there was no need for her to do so - if she had found someone really nice, I would be very happy for her and want only what is best for her.

Btw - she owed me over HK$8,000 for buying a laptop for her kids. She also owed neighbor's helper HK1,400 and few hundred from the guard - all based on lies. The ironic thing is that, we shared a lot about Christianity and God !
I wouldn't have guessed in a million that she would do such a thing.
Somehow, I still worry about her, even at this moment.

However, the laptop is somewhat helpful in tracking her and a useful tool to discover more things about her.

Thank you all for listening and offering your advices.
 
A lot of helpers love listening to Bollywood songs and watching Hindi movies including mine who is Indonesian. If you can somehow get the phone or email of the people she was in touch with here, friends or family, you may get a clue. Try contacting the mobile company she was using and ask for bills to find phone numbers.
I would also say you were a bit too generous with her considering she only had been working for you for 9 months. But then you seem like a very loving and caring person so that can be excused.
 
call the police and immigration - you don't want to be liable for anything that happens.

you will probably get phone calls, but they will die down in a month or so...sucks, but that's what happened with us when our helper left (she didn't run away) and had lots of unpaid loans.

make sure your next helper has her own phone though and doesn't give away your phone number for ANY reason whatsoever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

About this archive

This is an archive of over 20 years of GeoBaby and GeoSchools knowledge and discussions, kept online as a read-only reference.

Back
Top