Job Offer Scams Target Filipino Nurses
by Michael Duque
(London)
"Job offer scams sending emails of job interest to Filipino nurses are on the rise," warned Michael Duque, president of the Philippine Nurses Association of United Kingdom and Ireland (PNA UK).
Duque issued the warning to prospective Filipino nurses in the UK and abroad to be cautious in dealing with recruitment operators. The past few months saw an increase in the request for assistance and verification of job offers or employers from nurses outside of the UK and Ireland. Most job offers were highly irregular and suspicious.
PNA UK expressed concern about these recruitment scams. "We do not want our Filipino nurses (or kababayans) tricked into parting with huge sums of money for nothing," Duque said. "We want Filipino nurses to join us here in the UK to help in the health service, but we want them to be wary of fraud by British and Filipino individuals and business entities," he emphasized.
Job offer scams modus operandi
PNA UK uncovered a modus operandi wherein prospective applicants receive a message of job interest by email. The applicants' details come from Curricula Vitae (CV) posted online on public job search domains.
Once the applicant replies to the job offer, the alleged employer further requests for complete and detailed CV to start processing the documents and papers by an appointed solicitor or attorney-in-fact.
The applicant then receives a detailed Contract of Agreement and a Certificate of Employment with instruction to sign and send back to the employer for review by the attorney/solicitor. The Contract of Employment offers high salary, loads of bonuses, benefits and a comfortable work-load or duties and responsibilities.
The solicitor sends a Certificate of Good Moral Character application form. The job recruitment process cannot proceed without sending this back. The solicitor identifies himself as working for the High Court or a prominent Solicitor's Firm independent of the employer. Payment of his fees must be made through wire transfer, Western Union or Money Gram before he can further process the application.
At the same time, the employer emails the applicant pictures of his family and exchanges friendly emails daily. The employer follows up the applicant's documents and questions the delay in the processing.
Tips to avoid job offer scams
PNA UK advises applicants to exercise common sense in dealing with these situations. The following basic guidelines outline to help applicants:
- Research further details through the internet. Type names, telephone numbers, addresses, company names as used.
- Ask friends and relative in the place or country of the employer to check the details or visit the employer for a friendly chat.
- Check the details of the employer and his collaborator with the local authorities.
- Call the company using the telephone numbers found in the internet, websites or telephone directories to verify its legitimacy. Do not call using the contact numbers found in the email. Chances are these are routing-numbers.
- Check and verify with the Philippines Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) the legitimacy of the job offer. Scams deceive applicants when they least expect it.
- Avoid sending sensitive information such as bank and credit card details, passport details, social security numbers, etc.
- If highly suspicious, end all communications and report to the local authorities.
- Use accredited recruitment agencies to avoid job offer scams.
The PNA-UK is the only professional nursing organization of Filipino nurses in the United Kingdom, accredited by the Philippine Nursing Association National Head Office in Manila, Philippines.
The PNA-UK is a non-profit professional organization of Filipino nurses in the United Kingdom, duly registered with the UK Charities Commission.
Contact:
PNA UK: admin@pnauk.org.ukDom's Reply: Scams flourish with the desire of Filipinos and other foreign workers to work abroad. People can transact at great speed with technology and the internet. The above article,
10 Don’ts to Avoid Illegal Recruitment and
How to Avoid Internet Job Scams can help aspiring OFWs to avoid job offer scams.
Thank you for sharing, Michael!