Expert: Alun Hill MCIJ - 7/27/2009

Question
good day to you.
i am writing in connection to an e-mail i received last week. it is almost a carbon copy of the e-mail that was posted by a reader about a "job deployment" or "job employment opportunity" in a hotel. My gut reaction: it is a scam. I googled the phone number and was referred to this site. I read your answer to the "job deployment" question and learned about the 419 scams. Thank you for posting the information.

Here's a copy of the e-mail i received:

Head Office Address
100-110 Euston Road nw1 2aj London
United Kingdom
Office Job Information Hours:
TEL:+44-7031898622
   +44-7031898646
Monday  - friday : 06:00-18:00

Job ID: UK/NTHL/ 02467-08
As per above request we need manpower to work in Novotel Hotel in Uk. The total requirements will be 280 workers.
 Workers that have the ability to work hard only need to apply and must come from non-criminal origin and must agreed to abide by the hotel..s rules and regulations. Details needed: Bio-data's of these workers in advance for us to do the shortlist before conduction of interview .Also important they must speak some English during interview.

 They will be tested on the spot and interviewed by the hotel management.Salary: is very attractive depending on experience to be found in applicant. Our salary and benefit which will be forwarded to you for your perusal.  The hotel management wants the whole thing settled in45days time. If you can meet our requirement please reply for further procedures.

  The management will take care of your feeding,accommodation including your air ticket.We will provide all the relevant backup documents to enable the applicant get his or her visa at UK-Embassy in the applicant..s country.Visas will be issued upon approval from Uk-Immigration Bureau.
If you are interested to work with us, respond to this mail as a matter of urgency.

EMAIL. ()

Answer
Hi - thanks for your question.

This is a standard "scam" - which seems to be targetting the Phillipines at the moment.

The short answer is that there's no such job, the telephone number is a mobile (UK +44 07 .. numbers) which can be routed anywhere in the world.

The other answer is that companies simply don't advertise in this way, nor do they pay airfare etc for people to come and work.

There are several million people unemployed in the UK at the moment and we have quite strict immigration policies, with UK and European Union residents getting priority, understandably.

So, you ask, how is it a scam?

Well,  they keep you thinking you've got a well paid job in London - but then ask you for "processing fees" which you send, on the promise that you'll get them back, which of course you don't.

If you do send them money, they'll ask for more - and many people having "gone this far" send even more.

You'll never see your money again, the job doesn't exist. The best thing is just to delete the email and ignore it - or at least warn your fellow countrymen about it.

Happy to help!

Alun Hill, MCIJ

Editor, http://www.IsLondonExpensive.com