Human smugglers from Mexico are reportedly advertising '100 percent safe' border crossings into the United States, luring gullible people to pay up a mentioned amount of approximately $8,000 in the hopes of being on the other side of the border.
The Facebook ads are seen openly advertising about illegal border crossings with the headline "Travel to Mexico to the United States. Costs $8,000. 100 percent safe," and also includes a WhatsApp number for further information about the route and payment.
The ads also provide a list of itinerary and the routes needed to be taken in order to reach the border and illegally enter the U.S as the Facebook post reads: ''Promising safe passage from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, to McAllen, Texas, and beyond.'' The itinerary reads: "Cross through Matamoros. You walk one hour, after in automobile until you arrive to your relative.''
The post also assures people they have a special route to enter the United States which has minimal walking, no river, no fence and no wall to jump over. The modus operandi seem to be like a typical travel agency and desperate people from Mexico are ready to pay the price to reach America.
If that wasn't enough, smugglers also entice gullible people by mentioning if they bring a child with them, they would be allowed to jump the line and U.S border patrol agents will release them in to the country.
The ads do not mention the fact that many people have walked dangerous paths in the hopes of making it to the border and several of them have died of hunger, dehydration, drowning, heat stroke and even got eaten by wild animals, including little children.
Fraudsters Exploit The Border Crisis For Their Benefit
However, NBC News reported that almost all the Facebook ads are fake and fraudsters from Mexico are using the border crisis to their benefit by cheating people who pay up the premium and ghost them after receiving their money.
After the ads were brought to light, Facebook released a statement addressing NBC News' findings and said that the platform does not allow human trafficking and exploitation and all the posts have been flagged and taken down. Facebook also added that they remove all such posts when they are flagged by users.
