Labor official warns jobseekers: Verify jobs in UK offered online

All Filipinos seeking employment in the United Kingdom should verify first job offerings in that country, warned labor attache Jun Rasul of the Philippine Embassy in London through the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

Rasul, upon learning that several Filipinos have applied for jobs in the UK through e-mails, had advised them to verify first the authenticity of the job offered through the Internet.

The labor advisory said that there have been unscrupulous recruiters that scan recruitment documents, bearing the name and logo of companies in the UK, then post these on the Internet.

These recruitment documents, such as Special Power of Attorney, Recruitment Agreement, Manpower Request, Business or Registration papers, are fake and scanned without knowledge from the real company, the advisory.

These postings name some third parties or agents, even "UK immigration officers" who turned out to be bogus, that an applicant is told to contact for supposedly visa arrangements for work in that country.

"In most cases, applicants are being led to believe that they have been accepted for some positions and directed to send money to travel or remittance agencies acting as middle agents," the advisory said.

Rasul said that even recruitment agencies registered in the Philippines have not been spared from these scams through fake requests for manpower with fake registration papers of employers.

Another scheme is that applicants are sent with "appointment letters" asking them to send money to a certain address to arrange for travel requirements, including visas.

They also use mobile phone or email, supposedly as a means to contact the alleged employer or agent, without giving any landline number for a return call.

There is a fake website containing the employer's address, post code, logo, telephone and fax numbers, and some details about the company.

The POEA then issued a memorandum urging applicants to make sure that the offered jobs actually exist by checking on the real website of the mentioned "employers."

Job seekers, POEA said, should 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 and free use of amenities.

"It is important to note that UK employers do not ask for any money or payment from applicants to secure a job, including expenses for the work permit, and visa applications," the advisory added.

Rasul said it would be best for the applicants to request their supposed "employer" to send the employment contracts to the Labor Office of the Philippine Embassy in London for the required verification and authentication. - Ferliza C. Contratista/RAE