International Students Alert : Fraudulent UK Job Offers

This is to alert international students to possible fake emails that offer jobs in the UK that promise high pay, good benefits, free travel and help with relocation. Some scams offering UK employment have spread on the internet recently and these emails may not be genuine.

The following information is based on advice from the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) and from the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Not all UK job offers are fraudulent, though we suggest you contact Student Services or the Student Union Welfare and Education Team if you have any doubts about whether a job offer is genuine or not.

Often, the starting point of this type of operation is the receipt of an unsolicited email offering work in the UK. Other offers are sent direct to jobseekers who post their CV (resumé) on jobsites.

Some indications of this type of solicitation are:

· the use of a free email address, such as Yahoo, Hotmail, MSN, etc;

· a company name that may look genuine, but on careful checking of spelling or font is not what it appears;

· a search for the recruiting company on the internet fails to locate a company with matching contact details or, if there is a match, it is usually in a jobsite.

The initial email congratulates the jobseeker for meeting the standard requirements of the company and offers a high paying job. The applicant is asked to reply to the email if interested.

When the applicant replies to the email and expresses interest in the job offer, a reply provides details of the job on offer and the requirements for processing the application.

This is then usually followed by a request for an advance fee in order for the application to proceed and a timeframe within which the applicant should respond. The applicant is also instructed to send an amount of money, which can range from £250 to over £1,000, to an account under a different name. Communication invariably ends once the money has been sent.

Prevention


You can protect yourself by following a few basic rules:

· Think twice before replying to an email offering employment that sounds "too good to be true". If you are serious about looking for an overseas job, contact a reputable employment agency.

· Never pay money up front for any reason. Legitimate companies will not require potential employees to pay a fee in order to process a job application.

· Research the company, ask for references. Do not deal with a company which does not provide full and verifiable contact details. Avoid companies that operate solely via telephone or email.

· Beware of official-sounding names. Many scams operate under names that may look like those of long-standing, reputable firms.

· Remember that any reputable company will almost certainly need to meet and interview you before they will hire you.

· Read any contract offered very carefully and seek legal advice if necessary. Beware of a company that is unwilling to give you a written contract.

· Do not be rushed into a decision. Do not hesitate to ask questions. You have the right to know about the employment offer and the company. Be wary of demands that "you must act now."
This email is for guidance only - remember that not all UK job offers are fraudulent.