Job Discussion Forums

caroleinkorea · Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Korea

I recently found a job offer to work in Spain that was really "too good to be true" Before I send all my information to these people I would like to hear if anyone has heard of "Mike Wilson" (contact name) from "Microrecruiters." His email address is from the UK.

Thanks,
Carole

swetepete · Joined: 26 Oct 2004 Posts: 16 Location: victoria, canada

Hey! I saw that dude on worknplay.co.kr, claiming to be recruiting for a SWISS company that needed to hire a hundred teachers. I applied, thinking it was probably a scam, but maybe-just-maybe real. He said in his ad "i'm not making any money off this, I'm doing it fro free." Hmmm...alarm bells a-jangling, I figured I'd bait them.
Two days later I was informed that my application had been accepted, and that I needed to email a visa guy in switzerland to get the visa processed. I knew at this point it was a scam, because they never even called me for an interview or anything, and also--more importantly--the email had been written in very very bad English, and was obviously not written by the same person who had wrote the ad on worknplay.
I responded enthusiastically, using bad spelling and lots of exclamation points, and also a fake passport number. I have yet to hear from them again. I'm hoping, though!
I think it's a lot like the 'work in nigeria' scam I reported here (international job forums) last month. Basically they are either ID hunting, wanting your passport number and whatnot, or else setting up a cash grab. What they do is say "you are ins! tto are companey. awl ewe knead dew is sent us 250 dollars for visa applications and we art pay the rest so really you should not hesitate and westernunion us the money right away, we are good people and never scam anyone, don't u trustus?"
Jerks.

swetepete · Joined: 26 Oct 2004 Posts: 16 Location: victoria, canada

Here is their original ad, as seen on worknplay.
"Job Title: $3500 monthly Esl Positions in Spain
Job Category: ESL / Language
Salary Offered: USD 3500 per Month
Overtime Pay Offered: 50
Start Date: ASAP
Number of Positions Offered: 9
Working Hours/Month: 6
Type of Positions: Full-time
Job Location: Other
Housing Offered: -
Benefits Offered: Round-trip Airfare, Medical Insurance, Paid Vacation, Year-end Bonus
Teaching Level (If applicable):
Contact Name: Mike Wilson
Contact Email Address: [email protected]
Job Description
This is an advertisement looking for foreigner staffs or people who want to work in Spain (As many as 100 people)
Most of the work are secretary,drivers,english speakers,Esl Teachers .
salary pays around 3500 thousand US Dollars per month (No agency fees)
This is not an agency and there is ZERO profit made me
working duration per day is 6hours
Housing : single
Starting date : ASAP
Working hours : 6hrs(Mon ~ Fri)
Free Round airplane ticket : YES
Free housing : YES
Severance :3500 US Dollars
Vacation : 7 days plus all national holidays
Holiday bonus: 200 US Dollars
Medical care : 100%
all Nationality accepted

requirements are
-resume
-international passport copy
-Picture(s)
-Weight
-Height
-Age
-Country of Origin
-Ancestral Background
-Contact Number (preferable a Cellular Phone Number)
-E-Mail address
Please send this information to [email protected]
thanks "

Here's what I sent them in response to their ad:
"Hello,In response to your advertisement on Worknplay.co.kr, I would like to apply as an English teacher at the school in Switzerland. I have included the documents (resume, photo) you requested. i would dearly love to spend time in Europe, so I would also work in any other capacity you might have for me--doorman, dancer, dj, pimp, whatever.
I am 34, Canadian, of mixed North and Western European descent--primarily British, German, and Swede. I am 186 centimetres, weigh about 90 kilograms, and am in excellent health. I can be reached here in Canada at (xxx-xxx-xxxx). Here are my resume and a recent photo. I am currently renewing my passport and will receive my new one on the 12th of December.Thank you,
Pete"

and here's their acceptance letter...

"Dear Applicant,
we appreciate to hear that your application for the career opportunity has been approved with FOREVERENGLISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL located at Tdistrasse 20, 9027 Z�rich, Switzerland and The Contract will last for 1 year as A Staff
Besides The Management of FOREVERENGLISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL has release fund for purchasing of PTA Airtickect for all the new foriegn Employees so please send us your contact address for the postage of your travel documents and Airticket immediately.
secondly, let us know the exact date you will be ready to move down to SWITZERLAND and resume your duty and also We required your correct date of departure and your full name and passport number so that we can issue your PTA flight Ticket immediately.
Please Note that copy your Employment Agreement from your employer is Attached to this letter and it contains of the conditions regards the employment.,so you are required to read it carefully and sign it but you are strongly advised to keep a copy of this Agreement for your personal references.
then contact the (SWITZERLAND MINISTRY OF LABOUR) Registration officer through Email: [email protected] then register your employment Agreement at ministry of labour for your Working Permit approval Certificate which they will post to you by postage so that you will obtain working visa at any Switzerland Embassy Abroad.

we are Looking forward to hearing from you regarding this position soonest.
if you have any problem please feel free to contact us immediately.
thanks

Yours sincerely,
Mike Wilson"

and my letter to them...
"Hi! I got the job teacihng in Switzerland! I'm so excited! Can you please mail me my Work Permit? Thanks! My name is Piet! My address is 10022 West Sandwich Road, Sidney-by-the-Sea, Brittish Colombia, Canada, v8v 3gy!!!Thank you so much! Bye! Warm up the fondue pot, I am ready to go TODAY!!! Oh yeah my passport number is vt23956!!!! "

I think they are fake.

chiquitita · Joined: 13 Aug 2003 Posts: 37

Check out the General Europe forum, American in Holland p2.

Different name, different country but sound familiar?

Jetgirly · Joined: 17 Jul 2004 Posts: 741

We used to be neighbours (five minute drive) Pete!

swetepete · Joined: 26 Oct 2004 Posts: 16 Location: victoria, canada

Really, Jetgirly? I don't remember you at all. I figured I'd remember somebody named Jetgirly, it's kind of an unusual one!
Were you operating under a pseudonym?

Bayden · Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 988

Scambaiting (baiting/teasing/annoying scammers) is a little hobby of mine and I can tell you one GLARINGLY obvious indication that this is most definately a scam.
I very much doubt the Swiss ministry of labour, a govt. dept., would have a Yahoo email address.
My guess is, as sweetpete suggested, they'll tell you it's all set, all you need to do is pay the visa processing fee.
It is most definately not legit.
Try leading them on as far as you can and see when the sting comes.

White_Elephant · Joined: 02 Sep 2006 Posts: 175

My mother always said, "if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck.... it's a duck. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is." Look at what kinds of things they are asking for, "weight, height ... etc." No employer needs to know that. Sounds like an identity theft ring from Nigeria. I don't bother to waste my time with "scam baiting." I've got more important things to do such as sleep, rest, relax, take it easy... you get the picture.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

caroleinkorea · Joined: 14 Nov 2006 Posts: 3 Location: Korea

Well done Pete!!!
The sad thing is that there are surely "newbies" who are unaware of the "scammers" and fall for it otherwise why is it so often we see them on sites such as "worknplay" They wouldn't be doing it if they thought there wasn't something in it for them. They really should be done away with. I also recently got an email from people in Greece. I contacted my stepdaughter as she lives there and she immediately told me that the salary was unrealistic giving me examples of what she and her husband earn. These turkeys even called me on my cell phone here in Korea and I strung them along. They urged me to send E250 as a confirmation that I was taking the position. I contacted the Greek Embassy here and gave them all the contact numbers, emails etc. that I had. Suddenly I didn't hear from them again. I don't know what happened but shortly after I read a posting on here and I became a member so that I could warn the person who was asking about these people not to send them ANYTHING. ESL teachers have got to realize that ANYONE asking for money is scamming them. Isn't there an organization anywhere that can help track down these people and give them what they deserve? The Internet is a great tool for people that teach and travel but the scammers should be apprehended and punished accordingly. Thankfully we seem to be getting more "on the ball" as far as protecting ourselves and it's great to see the support coming in from other teachers around the globe. Keep it up and don't ignore these things when we see them. You never know who will avoid the violation of being scammed if they have some good, sensible information from people who "know"
CaroleinKorea

yaramaz · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 2:40 pm Post subject:

Hey Piet, did Canada Post manage to deliver your visa to West Sandwich Road? (Mmmmm sandwiches...). I'm from Victoria too, and my credit card billing address is from my parents place there... and when I got a subscription for a magazine to be sent to my home here in Turkey, they got my billing and mailing addresses mixed up and somehow Turkish Post managed to deliver my stuff to... 767 Wilson Street, Istanbul. Crazy.

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

"SWITZERLAND MINISTRY OF LABOUR) Registration officer through Email: [email protected]"

This should ring your alarm bells and they should ring very loud, too. It is unlikely that the Swiss Ministry of Labour is located in Sweden. Also there is no such thing that directly translates to "the ministry of labour" in Switzerland and the equivalent of this doesn't deal with work/resident visas.
Big chance that is is actually the Federal Ministry of Migration that deals with things like that and most likely they are located in Bern, Switzerland. The emailadres should be something like [email protected].

Justin Trullinger · Posted: Mon Dec 11, 2006 4:26 pm Post subject:

You can spot most scams by applying the common sense rule- if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

English teachers in Spain earn $1500, tops. $3500 is ridiculous. Is Switzerland, there isn't much of a market, as the schools are doing just fine without importing foreigners.

GOod luck,

Justin

swetepete · Joined: 26 Oct 2004 Posts: 16 Location: victoria, canada

A-Baiting we will go, a-baiting we will go...

Here's what they sent me today.
"Hello Pete
Thanks for Your mail.
Please contact the (SWITZERLAND MINISTRY OF LABOUR) Registration
officer through Email: [email protected]<MAILTO: then register your employment Agreement at ministry of labour for your Working Permit approval Certificate which
they will post to you by postage so that you will obtain working visa
at any Switzerland Embassy Abroad.</MAILTO:
<MAILTO:We hope to welcome you soonest

</MAILTO:
Best Regards
Mike Wilson"

and my response--"Dearest Mike Wilson, thanks and thank you and I will sea you verry soon!!! I cant wait.I hve questions tho, Wil I be able to go skiiing at my new job? Is it okey if i wear lederhosen? It is leagal to have sexes with what ages of students in swisternland?
Thanks to you for answeting my questings.
love,Piet"

i know, scambaiting is silly and a waste of time and i should be working out on a bowflex or doing volunteer work at the orphanage or something useful and important like that, but what the hell. I likes me baitin'!

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City