Job Discussion Forums

Asand108 · Joined: 24 Apr 2012 Posts: 6

What I'm implying without stating clearly is that "I think it is exactly that".

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

I guess it's clear that I vote for bluntness on this topic - this school apparently has a few unsuspecting 'fresh fish' on their nefarious hook, and it would be a pity if anyone actually lost money on this.

pr455 · Joined: 08 May 2011 Posts: 135 Location: MADRID, SPAIN

Let's be blunt and call a spade a spade. There is no need to imply anything. It is a scam and let's say it is such. Let's not beat around the bush.

Some people allow their dream of working in Spain cloud their judgement when it comes to companies and the scams that they pull. Luckily, a few post them here and we can give them feedback.

Shawn

costelcp · Joined: 25 Apr 2012 Posts: 1

Hi guys this is definately a scam found out last week. The london academy exists but the scammers somehow got access to the application process via eslemployment.
I had the interview on skype but as mentioned the line was crap and had to just chat. It actually turns out that the london academy does not even have a skype account so the director told me.
Right from the beginning i had my reservations it just felt odd so i kept asking this man with a very greek name lots and lots of questions.
I figured out that the phone number on this mans emails did not match that of the london academy and when i rang the real director told me at that stage i was the third to be scammed.
Also they kept insisting on me booking through iberia.es which i thought was stupid and wierd including the silly email addresses such as [email protected].
I hope nobody else got fooled. Just thought id share my story. My advice would be to ask any prospective employers plenty of questions and investigate.

Regards ciaran

cragstan · Joined: 27 Apr 2012 Posts: 1

Hi everybody.

I was also offered a contract by this 'school'. It was all very suspicious... I first said that I couldn't accept a 1 year contract and said I would only be able to work for 3 months, which they accepted. Then I said I could only work for 2 months, and they were still okay with that saying "we will probably hire another teacher by then".

Since I am not an EU citizen, I had to get a work visa which they said they would sponsor me for. They referred me to 'Immigration Lawyers' through conpapeles.com These people told me to send them: 140 euros through western union, a scan of my birth certificate, a scan of my passport and the visa application form that is on the Spanish consulate website in my country. These 'lawyers' said that if I sent them this information my work visa would get fast tracked, and I would receive my visa within 12 days... I phoned the Spanish consulate in my country and they said that is not the process at all and essentially told me it was a scam, although at this point it was pretty obvious anyways.

I really hope nobody was actually conned by these people...

Chris

pr455 · Joined: 08 May 2011 Posts: 135 Location: MADRID, SPAIN

cragstan and costelcp,

Thanks a lot for your posts here. It really does make sense and some of us knew that it was a scam to begin with. The eslemployment website is one where scammers have been known to put up false ads and rob people of their money. Crying or Very sad

Shawn

sas2401 · Joined: 25 Apr 2012 Posts: 1

Hello,
This is a scam. I am the REAL London Academy and I can tell you all that this is a scam. Under no circumstances send any money or offer your personal banking details. It appears that someone has copied all the information from our website and used it to create a bogus contract. I found this out after several people called me asking when they were due to start working. The application and interview process is more professional and secure than that which I've been told about so any correspondence from anyone other than London Academy is definitely fake.
I apologise to anyone caught up in this scam but I only discovered this myself after having been contacted by suspicious applicants.
Shaun

pr455 · Joined: 08 May 2011 Posts: 135 Location: MADRID, SPAIN

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

It has unfortunately become fairly common for scammers to use the information from a legit school.

Here are what I think the early clues of scam are:

1. A European school is offering to hire anyone sight-unseen. There are simply enough teachers around in almost every case to interview in person and it's highly unlikely that a reputable school is going to take a chance on anyone via distance. This usually indicates either a scam or a school with a bad local rep, where the teachers in the region don't want to work.
2. A European school is offering positions to non-EU member citizens.
3. The wages/package offered are out of line for the region. Keep in mind that schools here don't generally pay or reimburse airfare and salaries are at subsistence level in general for English language teachers.

And, finally, if/when they ask for any money from you whatsoever, obviously it's a scam. But seriously, they're easy to recognise far earlier.

disraeli123

The ad on eslemployment was offering over 3,000 euros a month and other benefits. That high a salary alone should have set off alarm bells. There is 25 to 30% unemployment in Spain. How would such a school pay such high salaries? and as stated above there is always the EU problem. People have to WAKE UP and use their COMMON SENSE and check things out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!