Scam warning
Here's a well-used teacher scam that's doing the rounds.
posted on 2nd December 2009
I just wanted to warn everybody that there is a new teaching scam going around, in fact this is the FOURTH variation I have seen of the e-mail reproduced below. The scam always follows the same pattern - a wife who can't speak English, a job offer and a very attractive UK salary. I have no doubt that further down the line anyone interested in this 'position' will have to fork out cash to process paperwork or some similar bullshit.
As a footnote, although the e-mail states that the resume was taken from the ajarn database, I very much doubt it. The ajarn resume database is pay-per-view and scammers are rarely/never willing to pay for contact names and e-mails. Why should they when there are plenty of databases where access to teacher resumes is free?
Anyway, here's the e-mail.
Dear Teacher,
My name is _________________. I am from Germany working currently with (usually an impressive corporate address is inserted here)
I need a professional ESL teacher like you to come and teach my beloved Wife English.
I and my wife wedded last April 2009 and she joined me here in Scotland last May 2009 to start living with me.
She is inability to understand English language to communicate with the people here in the UK that is why I urgently need your attention here to start teaching her English to enable her start communicating with the people here in the UK..
I saw your CV at http://www.teflasia.com and like it that is why I have contacted you.
Requirements for the position includes:
1. Any Certificate obtained as an Applicant with English teaching experience (Bachelors Degree and above).
2. Your recent photo.
3. Your phone number with your country code for proper conversation.
4. Once again your updated CV.
Salary: Monthly salary of GBP3,850.00 will be paid to you on the 20th day of every month and relocation package fee of GBP1,500.00 at the beginning of the contract, including monthly health insurance fee of GBP360.00 and vacation fee of GBP1,700.00 for any upcoming vacation.
As a qualified applicant, I want you to do contact me at once with requirements mentioned above for evaluation through my personal email address at (e-mail address is inserted here) so that we can proceed with the contract.
Tags: teacher problems teacher recruitment finding a job teacher scams
Comments
The bastards are at it again! This time it is from a “Dr Alphonso Bernard a native of Toulouse France” living in the UK offering “3,000.00GBP” Let the teacher beware!
To make a couple of typo’s here and there may be acceptable. With regards to the salary it is not. There is a major departure between 30000 Pounds a month and 3000. You need to stop being so sensitive.
I worked in central London in the height of the IT boom and was paid 2500 Pounds a month and that was in the financial district. It all comes down to the details. The best paid job on this site I saw was for 2500 Pounds in Qatar. That I could believe. The best paid job in Thailand I have seen her on this website is around 60000 Baht. I could be wrong. At today’s exchange rate that is around 1200 Pounds. With the UK having its worst ever recession for years (8% unemployment the last time I checked) to be offering 2800 Pounds to teach one family sounds far fetched. it all comes down to the details. When agencies phone me and tell me they have a job and want me to come and see them and I ask them about the details and they can’t tell me I take it they don’t have a job and they don’t have the contract but are just fishing. Maybe that is just me. But unless they can tell me salary, hours, conditions etc…. for the most part I am not interested. for me it means they don;t have a job and not specific enough. If too good for the region I know it is a scam. Qatar maybe. London not. International Universoty maybe. Teaching a family. Nope. Would never believe it at that salary.
If someone contacted me for a job in Scotland teaching someone’s wife I just know it could not possibly be true. Scots don’t earn that much most of them anyway. They earn less than people in London and unless a school I would never believe someone was prepared to offer 2800 Pounds to teach his wife English when he could down the road and register a course for 200 or 300 Pounds and she could study when she wanted over a few months. But then I lived in the UK. Some haven’t. I wouldn’t have fallen for any of these scams. True. Too good. Too many pluses + this + that….. time off for this and that…. just unrealistic to be teaching someone’s wife for 2800 Pounds a month or a family…..
Why would they pay for a teacher to fly all the way around the world in a country of 65 Million people most of which can speak English (some immigrants of course can’t). Teacher’s get paid less than 2000 Pounds a month in London the last time I checked. It is not a sought after professsion in London. They struggle for teachers there. Low paid compared to cost of living and hard work and chaotic I heard. We do it in Thailand because they need it and it is one of the few jobs we can get here and get paid reasonably compared to anything else and hopefully a work visa as well. But I have seen from some or many agencies they offer it and then don’t deliver on it, and say some document - this or that - is missing. No one is offering teaching in London for 3000 or 2800 Pounds a month in Scotland I assure you unless you have such an impressive resume and work for a University. That I am pretty sure of.
That is the reality of the situation. Be well.
I was offered this job from the same people, but it was 2,800 British Pounds per month, and it was quite convincing. I’ve been around the block a few times and suspect everyone. I sent these people correspondence stating such, and we emailed back and forth for about a month. I received picture of my alleged apartment, the family, the doctor who was to be my employer, and it appeared legitimate. 40,000 pounds is not believable, but the 2,800 seemed high but not out of reach for a doctor. The very second I received an email directing me to send money, then I knew the jig was up. These people are evil and professional.
The information provided is solid but again you veil your advice with accusations against people trying to warn others of the scams that are out there.
“This is not chastisement, just a reality check. I wonder how many New York stock brokers earn 40000 Dollars a month. I mean come on wake up.“
You say it’s not chastisement but then chastise. -A monkey in a silk suit is still a monkey.
I wonder if the post regarding an offer of 30,000.00 GPB wasn’t actually a type ‘o’ and meant as 3,000.00 GBP. Your post had enough type ‘o’s so I am sure you can appreciate the possibility.
Facts are facts, there are scammers and there are people willing to believe that good things happen. People who have been scammed can offer their advice to help others and as such either you are offering your advice without the courage to admit your unfortunate incident or you are just flapping your yap because you like the sound.
Either way, you are causing more harm than help by discouraging instead of simply informing.
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These people contacted my son off a legitimate board and as he just graduated was not aware of the scam. Once they wanted money even though sent to him through Western Union in the UK and they said he would pick it up from Western Union we felt something was wrong. Now going back through everything the guys place of business was not real clear and did not have a regular website, the phone was not clear when he called. My son contacted the legitimate board and they emailed back right away that it was a scam. Welcome to the real world!
I then remembered a friend doing a search for scams and this site popped right up so everyone should know they are still at it but the pay is not as good as the other offers. Just 500pds a week. Hope this helps others!
By Dan, USA on 2010-07-08