Pinoys in UK warned vs. recruitment scams via email, Facebook

Filipinos in the United Kingdom were warned against a fresh wave of fraudulent job offers being made via email and social networking site Facebook.

In a news release, the Philippine Embassy in London indicated some of the fake job offers may have become more sophisticated to convince their would-be victims.

“The spurious job offers even include scanned letters of appointment, sponsorship confirmation or employment contract offering attractive compensation and benefits. Some of the fraudsters even use Skype to communicate and interact with their potential victims," it said (http://philembassy-uk.org/philippine-embassy-warns-anew-against-internet-recruitment-scams).

But it warned those who fall for such offers may be directed to contact UK travel agencies, immigration consultants, and/or solicitors who will apply for work permits, visas and other travel documents at the UK Immigration on the jobseekers’ behalf.

They would then be instructed to remit money to a Western Union account supposedly for processing fees, courier expenses, assurance fees and "a variety of other charges."

Tips

The embassy said the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in London has issued tips for jobseekers to avoid being victimized:

  • UK employment regulations prohibits the charging of recruitment fees, including sponsorship fees, against job applicants. Most of the job offers made through the Internet, especially those requiring sending money for work permits, visa processing fees and other charges, are fake and illegal.
  • Under the new UK Points Based System (PBS) for visa applications, only highly skilled professionals would be eligible for work visas to the UK, unless the positions offered are included in the shortage occupation list.
  • For visa applications under the new PBS immigration rule, a work permit is no longer a requirement and has now been replaced by the new sponsorship system.
  • UK visa applications may only be filed personally by the applicants at the British Embassy in Manila through the UK Visa Application Centre. Supporting documents for such visa applications should come from the UK employer, including certificate of sponsorship, employment contract, letter from employer to provide maintenance, and financial evidence from employer.
  • Filipino jobseekers and agencies should not rely on scanned documents as they can easily be forged or fabricated.

Filipino jobseekers in London were also advised to contact the POLO at 6 Suffolk Street, London, SW1Y 4HG, through telephone nos. 0044-(0)20-7451-1832/1833 or email polo_london13@yahoo.co.uk. —Joel Locsin/KBK, GMA News

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