More Job Scams you Might Come Across

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Some of my most popular blogs are those on the topics of Job Scams. This makes sense considering the number of online scams taking place at the moment and the lack of information surrounding these scams. As many of you will know I often take it upon myself to apply to these employment scams, simply so that I can give you guys as much info on their modus operandi as possible.

Today is a little different though, the job scams below were sent to me from a reader of my blog by the name of Glynis. Thank you Glynis for sharing these with us, and please if you are reading this and know of any other similar scams please leave me a comment below with the info. This will help all of us to avoid these scammers and keep safe.

Some More Job Scams in South Africa

If you believe that you re currently dealing with a job scam it might also be worth your while to check out some of my other blogs on the subject.

• JOB SCAMS. How to avoid becoming a victim.
• 8 warning signs of a job scam.
• 3 job scams you may have already seen.
• Potential job scammers in South Africa
• Job scams seen of Facebook

Right, so let’s get into the employment scams that Glynis came across. There are 3 in total, so what I am going to do is post a copy of the Email she received for each scam individually and then discuss the obvious signs in the Email to point to it being a scam. These warning signs generally do not change much, so even if you have not received these exact Emails, you should be able to spot the scam a mile away!

Job Scam Number 1

From: Aleck Hans [mailto:hansholdings**@gmail.com]

To: undisclosed-recipients:

Subject: Invitation to Front Office Assistant Role Interview

 

Thank you for your interest in working with us!

We received your application and are interested in discussing your qualifications further. We would like to invite you to interview, to discuss the job requirements and learn more about you on Monday 28 June 2021, Job reference: 11/RRR3.

At this interview you will be meeting with one of our Interviewers. Feel free to ask any questions you may have about our hiring process.

Address: 84 Market Street (Albertina Sisulu) & Harrison St. 3rd Floor, Office 301 Johannesburg, 2001.

 

Requirements:

Updated CV, ID/Passport copy

Multiple copies of resume, academic certificates (copies) etc.

Please reply to this email directly with your availability or via SMS, Call to the number given below.

Wishing you all the best and looking forward to seeing you!!

Sincerely,

A. Hans

073 528 06**

How do we identify the above Email as a job scam?

1. First and foremost we should be concerned with the Email address. Like I have said so many times, Gmail accounts are very often used by scammers. I am not saying that it is a guaranteed scam if you see one. I am just saying start asking questions.
2. Another warning sign is the company not existing. As you can see the Email account is Hans Holdings. There are no Google results for this at all (Well, now there will be – This article) Also Glynis was smart enough to actually phone Mr. Hans on the number supplied and she did not feel that she was speaking to a Mr. Hans. His English was not great and the conversation was not very professional. Two more obvious warning signs.
3. At the end of the day I am not sure what the objective of this scam is. They do not appear to ask for any money, however that may come later. That being said there are many different motives behind these scams. Sometimes they are just trying to scam a few hundred rands from their victims. But there are instances where these scams are fronts for human trafficking operations.

Employment Scam Number 2

Good Day! M.P.B Engineering Consulting confirms your office clerk briefing & assessment interview on Friday (/02/2021) 08:00AM.

ADDRESS:

281 ONTDEKKERS ROAD, CARENVALE

ROODEPOORT,

JOHANNESBURG,GAUTENG

Please bring an updated CV and a refundable R260 for screening and evaluation. Ask for Ms Sonia by the Reception.

NB: Please confirm your availability via sms.

Regards

MS SONIA

Head of Department

Cell: 064 853 12**

Tel: 087 058 17**

Email :*****@mpbengineeringconsulting.co.za

How do we identify the above Email as a job scam?

1. On the surface, this might seem like a legitimate job offer. After all, they are not using a Gmail account, they have registered a domain name for mpbengineeringconsulting.co.za. So does this automatically make it legitimate? Well, what happens if we visit their website? We find a website that has obviously just been set up to give the appearance of an actual business. But on closer inspection we find that the website is not even completed, they still have the standard template placeholder text on their website.
2. This is an obvious scam looking to get a few hundred rands from you. They are asking for R260 for screening and evaluation. There is no respectable legitimate company that is going to ask you for any fee to interview for a job vacancy. Yes, they say it is a refundable deposit, but I promise you that you will never see your money again.
3. Another great idea is to always double-check the address on Google maps if one is given. If you view the address given here you do not find an MPB Engineering.

Job Scam Number 3

Good day,

Herewith please find more information regarding the admin opportunity you have expressed interest in:

As an Administrator, the following criteria applies and needs to be met in order to apply for this opportunity:

· A computer or access to one (whether it is your own computer or at work during quiet times or even the Internet café – as long as you have one)

· Internet Access – you will also be working online

· A valid E-mail account

· A South African bank account (in order for you to receive payment)

· Microsoft Office Software (Excel, Word, etc.)

· In addition to the above requirements, you must be able to follow instructions closely and completely

All contact will be via email – you will not be required to call anyone at any time. The point behind the virtual industry is to cut down on office overheads after all. This allows you to work whichever hours are most convenient to you (days, nights, or weekends).

You will need a word processing program in order to perform some tasks successfully (Microsoft Word or Open Office etc.) Once you have received the training materials, you can start working from home today, or wherever you choose to conduct business. Whether you are employed or unemployed you can still apply for this. You can do it part time in the evenings or over weekends or full time. Whatever is convenient to your schedule. To the unemployed this can be something you might consider doing while you are looking for something permanent should you then decide to take a permanent position. I spend around 6 hours a day 5 days a week and make enough to provide well for my family. I am a parent as well and I am at home with them, comfortable and earning an income at the same time. Please note that this is not employment or a job and we are not a recruitment agency. This is part time admin work and what you pay for is purely the materials that will explain to you in detail how the system works and how to set yourself up.

The Work – You will be processing email applications, typing, as well as filling out forms in specific company databases (this tends to be tedious at times so please be sure that you have the patience to do so before proceeding). This is why you will need to have basic Internet knowledge, though the training provided will give you step-by-step instructions on how to perform these tasks properly. You will not be required to recruit people or send out chain emails. This is actual admin work.

There are no down times with this opportunity however you are able to take on as much or as little work as you wish. The amount of income you make each week is entirely up to you and how much time and effort you are willing to put in with this opportunity. The average person makes R 2500 – R 3500 per week for approx. 4-5 hours spent online per day. I cannot stress this enough – No one can stand behind you and force you to work so we cannot estimate or guarantee what you will earn.

As stated above if you are not employed this could be a stepping stone to do part time while you search for something permanent or you can put in a little more effort and do it full time which is what I did. So there is no hidden agenda, no scam, no recruiting more people – purely admin work from home.

The Income – You will receive your pay through EFTs or direct deposit. When an application/task is completed successfully R180.00 will be paid to you. An application/task is not complete until you have received payment in other words. Please do not wait for a pay check at the end of the month – this is not going to happen. You will be paid per task/application when and if it is completed. The money trickles into your account all throughout the month.

Training & Materials – We require a fee of R350.00 for the training. For two reasons (1) it safeguards us from those applicants who really just want to waste our time by allowing us to set them up, train them and then they conveniently do not do any work. (2) It covers our admin costs and registration fees. The fee is non-refundable. This line of work is not for everyone so please think carefully before you proceed with your application as we would hate for you to feel out of pocket or done in. You have to be willing to put in the hours to earn the money. By proceeding with the registration you agree to the terms stated in this email and meet the criteria in order to register.

Upon completion of your registration and receipt of payment your profile is forwarded to the training department where they begin the setup process with you.

Keep in mind the sooner you go through the training materials the sooner you will start earning. It takes the average applicant a day or so to work through the training manual after which they can start working immediately. I can be contacted via E-mail at any time after you have received your training materials to help you or answer any questions you may have.

Should you consider yourself an appropriate candidate, meet all the requirements and are responsible enough to work independently then please contact me via E-mail on silentera.admin@****.co.za or

silentera.admin@**********.co.za and I will send you the relevant registration form so you can get started.

How do we identify the above Email as a job scam?

1. This is actually a scam that I have covered before in my blogs. The Email addresses change but the Email template does not. Essentially you apply for a job, usually an Admin type of job. You then receive this Email essentially stating that this is not a job offer but an opportunity.
2. Again the obvious first warning sign is that they are asking for a payment. This is not a payment for an interview but rather for training material.
3. I will be honest here, I have come across this scam a number of times, always the same Email template. However, I have never purchased the training material. If you have ever paid the fee I would love to hear from you, please pop me a mail or leave a comment below. You will remain anonymous of course.

Conclusion

Remember these warning signs of a job scam;

1. The Email address supplied is an easy to obtain generic Email address. (Eg: Gmail)
2. A suspicious “Click Here” link is supplied to submit applications
3. You get an immediate job offer
4. You are requested to make a payment of ANY kind
5. You can not find any info on the company when doing your research
6. The job description is poorly written and/or vague
7. The salary is to good to be true.
8. The job description states “No experience required”

Remember, none of these warning signs mean you are definitely dealing with a job scam. It just means that you should be a lot more cautious moving forward.