|
THE Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA)
on Monday issued another warning against fraudulent Internet job
schemes after another group of overseas job applicants fell prey to
the scheme.
POEA Administrator Rosalinda
Baldoz said several job applicants reported that they received
unsolicited e-mail messages from a “multinational company”
through a seemingly legitimate e-mail account congratulating them
for being selected for specific jobs.
The e-mail contains details about
the “hiring company,” the positions needed and a very enticing
compensation package. The e-mail further states that the company had
received a copy of the résumé of the applicant from a “résumé
bank” or job site of their accredited companies in the
Philippines.
The applicants said that when
they expressed interest in the job offer, the company required them
to undergo a seminar/training for a fee, to pay for the reservation,
OWWA membership, taxes and insurance through a courier service.
The applicants paid for the
required fees and only realized that they were swindled when the
company stopped communicating with them.
Baldoz admitted that the POEA is
helpless against such fraud because transactions in the Internet are
virtually unrestricted and impersonal, making it easier for illegal
recruiters to prey on individuals in search of employment overseas
through the Web.
Baldoz cautions recipients of
e-mail job offers to verify the authenticity of the company, the
website, as well as the telephone numbers before paying any money.
To avoid being victimized by
Internet job scams, she said, applicants must make sure that the
jobs actually exist by checking on the website of the employers,
their complete addresses, post code and contact details through
search engines like Google and Yahoo!, among others.
Baldoz also pointed out that job
seekers must always be skeptical of Internet employment offers
that appear to be “too good to be true,” such as huge salary
offer, free accommodation and food, free use of amenities.
--William B. Depasupil
|
