POEA sounds alarm on e-mail training and recruitment scams

“Beware of illegal recruiters offering English language training and employment
through e-mails!”

POEA Administrator Carlos S. Cao Jr. sounded this alarm recently amid reports
from several workers who were offered employment in hospitals in the United
Kingdom but were first required to attend a British English training or British
accent coaching.

Cao said the e-mails target nurses and caregivers advising them that they were
selected for nursing or caregiving positions in big hospitals and clinics in the
UK, and that supposedly the employers are currently in the Philippines to
conduct interviews.

Applicants are charged P3,000 for reservation of a slot in the supposed training
and are instructed to send the payment through money transfer. The scammer
cites in the e-mail a non-existing address in Makati City as venue for the
supposed training in British English.

Cao also warned applicants of another e-mail scam offering jobs in AAA
Warehouse, one of the largest hotel and restaurant warehouse in Miami, USA.
The supposed job is for a part-time “payment/fund receiving agent” that will
receive payment from customers in the Philippines. The “bogus” employer will
then give instructions on how to remit the funds to any of their office locations
or clients overseas. The recruit will supposedly get his pay by deducting
P25,000 from every payment received aside from a monthly salary of $3,000
(USD).

Upon verification by the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Washington,
AAA Warehouse has denied the e-mail came from them confirming the offer as
a scam.

Cao advised the public to be wary of these e-mail scams and urged them to call
POEA hotlines 722-1144/722-1155, or visit its website www.poea.gov.ph to
check on the legitimacy of job offers found in the internet.