UAE | Employment
Online job scam uses global hotel chain's logo to dupe victims
Prospective hotel employees are being warned about an online scam urging people to transfer sums of money to secure jobs at a hotel in Nigeria.
- By Zoi Constantine, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:36 May 3, 2009
Dubai: Prospective hotel employees are being warned about an online scam urging people to transfer sums of money to secure jobs at a hotel in Nigeria.
The fraud involves a Lagos hotel purporting to be from the Radisson chain, which is offering jobs to those who have posted resumes online.
After receiving the letter of offer, successful candidates are asked to contact the 'Nigerian Immigration Diplomatic Services' to arrange their Nigerian work permits - for a fee.
The correspondence appears legitimate and bears the Radisson logo, but the e-mail addresses and websites listed are fraudulent, as are the job offers and the supposed 'immigration services'.
According to the Radisson SAS hotel chain in Dubai, several prospective employees have brought the scam to their attention, including one who told Gulf News that he was contacted via e-mail by the fraudsters.
Unbelievable offer
"I received an e-mail from the fake Radisson in Nigeria which said that after seeing my resumes posted online, they would like me to send a scanned copy of my passport and academic certificates, which I did," said the Sharjah-based applicant, who did not wish to be named.
"I innocently sent the documents, and promptly received an e-mail back with an offer which included a very attractive package and a salary of over Dh38,000 a month," he said.
It was only after reading about the salary and generous package that he realised it was "too good to be true."
The initial letter sent by the fraudsters requested that the successful candidate e-mail the 'Nigerian Immigration Diplomatic Services,' which promptly replied with the amount required to secure a work permit.
"Concerning the issuance of the work permit visa to you, you must follow according to the below steps," reads the letter, which concludes with a request for Dh5,300 to be wired to a bank account in the United States.
The letter states that the work permit will be issued within 48 hours of receipt of the funds and specifies that the full amount will be reimbursed by the hotel.
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