Job Discussion Forums

chon nom · Joined: 27 Feb 2008 Posts: 40

Recently a guy contacted me and said he wanted a tutor in the UK(i'm in the US-I have experience) for his kids. He's German and allegedly works
for Mercedes Benz in Milton Keynes.
Asked for diploma, pic, CV. I figured I send these everyday so why not?
Now he sent a contract for me to sign and put me in touch with and alleged barrister to deal with re visa, et.
Terms are rather too good to be true, etc.
Question: What do they want? Identity theft, what? They say they pay everything...and if anyone asked for $ we're done.
WTF?

MO39 · Posted: Tue Dec 23, 2008 6:35 pm Post subject:

It sure sounds weird to me. How did this German guy find you? If he's living in the UK, why would he want to import an American English teacher with all the qualified British teachers at hand? And will he get you working papers, an almost impossible task these days for non-EU citizens? Confused

naturegirl321 · Joined: 04 May 2003 Posts: 9041 Location: home sweet home

Probably is a scam, might not be, Try checking with the Mercedes Benz and seeing if he does work there.

Either way, I wouldn-t do it.

notamiss · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:11 pm Post subject:

Scams with a similar lead-up work this way: After you are engaged, they send you an advance payment. But the amount they send is too much. You are asked to wire them back the difference. Later it turns out that the money order or cheque they sent you was fake, and you are poorer (and the scammers are richer) by the amount you sent.

killian · Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:05 pm Post subject:

tell him you want to fly over for an interview face-to-face and you are waitng for the airplane tickets before discussions can go any further.

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

If it looks like a scam, sounds like a scam, feels like a scam, smells like a scam and tastes like a scam...

Two guys on another thread also report having been sent contracts by this guy.

Ahchoo · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 606 Location: Earth

PattyFlipper · Joined: 14 Nov 2007 Posts: 572

The OP asked 'why' this is a scam. Here's why. In the UK, barristers would not normally deal with immigration matters unless the case was either highly complex or required representation in court or before an immigration tribunal. In addition, except for one or two very specific circumstances (neither of which apply in this case), barristers are not permitted to accept work directly from members of the general public. This type of work would be handled by a solicitor and there is no reason why a barrister should be required. Even if the solicitor did decide to instruct a barrister, he (the barrister) would not under any circumstances contact or correspond with you directly, for any reason. The Bar Association's Code of Ethics even forbid him from communicating in person with his lay-client (i.e. the alleged German businessman). Everything must be done through the instructing solicitor.

"Barristers" are the standard modus operandi of Nigerean 419 scammers.

BenE · Joined: 11 Oct 2008 Posts: 321

....A German businessman working in the UK is asking someone from the US to come over and teach hia children English.

I know Milton Keynes is a bit of a hole but I think there are plenty of English speakers there that would be able to help him.

I've never heard such a stupid story in my life. Write to him in German and see if he is able to reply in German. That will stump him.

Es ist aber komplett bl�dsinn und er kann auf jeden Fall kein Deutsch.