Fraud Alert: How Can We Stop Scammers Exploiting Job Seekers with Fake Interviews?

Urgent Issue: Fraudulent Interview Process

There is a very serious issue that has come up. Can we all join hands and try to sort out this issue? Someone is attempting to make money by taking money from candidates, stating that they need to pay a refundable amount for the interview process. This is being done using the names of very prestigious companies like L&T and Tata Motors.

I, too, have received such emails and SMS messages. Initially, I just ignored them, but now it's becoming frequent. I became alarmed about this and called both companies to verify the genuineness of these claims. They confirmed it's fake, and they have requested our help in this matter. I seek your suggestions and assistance in nabbing the culprit so that innocent people don't fall into the trap. I look forward to your generous support.

Common Sense is Key

The only way out is common sense. No reputed company will ask you to deposit money for airfare or train fare to attend interviews. That itself is a giveaway. Secondly, the standard of English in these offer letters leaves much to be desired.

When you receive such offer letters for jobs you never applied for, it is time to use the delete button and move on. When the majority of people disregard such silly offer letters, the con artists will find new ways to cheat. Do not be a victim.

Please follow one simple rule: do not open emails or respond if you open them that you never expected. For example, interview calls, notifications of winning prizes or lottery tickets, free holiday for 2 or 4, etc. There are also emails floating around seeking help to transfer money from one country to another with an offer to give 10 to 20% commission. Many people have lost a fortune chasing such offers.

Understanding Job Scam Alerts

It just baffles me to see how people fall for such obvious traps. First, the English used is atrocious. Tata or L&T would not use such ungrammatical and poor English in their letters or communications. Big companies like these never send unsolicited job offers.

The most important giveaway is the fact that they are asking for "refundable" deposits. The pay is way above market standards. Earlier, such ads used to ask for Rs. 8,500, but now, with the increase in airfare, they have started asking for Rs. 15,200. The con tricks, which are common, reflect the times we are in. Time and again, big companies issue warnings about such scam offers. Other favorite companies offering such jobs are Hyundai and Maruti.

If one can fall for such offers, then no one can help you from being conned. Just read this:

Fake Job Scam Example

Thursday, October 10, 2013

MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA LTD (MSIL) / Fake Job Scam Fraud

This is a fake job scam. No real company uses a free email address, and no real company would request a deposit before you are interviewed! Read: http://www.scam-job-emails.tk - 419 Advance Fee Fraud: Why Most Emails Offering Jobs Are Scams!

MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA LTD (MSIL)

Head Office Maruti Suzuki, India Limited Nelson Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070. Email: [Email Removed For Privacy Reasons] (Free Email Address = Scam)

REF: "MARUTI SUZUKI" DIRECT RECRUITMENTS OFFER.

Your resume has been selected from Naukri.com to work in our new plant. The company selected 62 candidates for Senior Engineer, IT, Administration, Production, Marketing, and General Service Departments. It is our pleasure to inform you that your resume was selected as one of the 62 candidates shortlisted for the interview. The Company SUZUKI is the best manufacturing car company in India. The company is recruiting candidates for our new plants in Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, and Mumbai. Your interview will be held at the company's corporate office in New Delhi on October 17, 2013, at 11:30 AM. You will be pleased to know that out of the 62 candidates selected, 55 candidates will be given appointments, meaning that your application can progress to the final stage. You will have to come to the company's corporate office in New Delhi. Your offer letter with an air ticket will be sent to you by courier before the date of the interview. The company can offer you a salary with benefits for this post: 62,000/- to 110,000/- P.M. + (HRA + D.A + Conveyance and other company benefits). The designation and job location will be fixed by the company HRD at the time of the final process. You have to come with photocopies of all required documents.

You have to deposit the (cash) as an initial amount in favor of our company accountant's name in charge to collect your payment for Rs. 15,400 (Fifteen thousand four hundred rupees) through any (STATE BANK OF INDIA) OR (ICICI BANK) branch from your home city to our company accountant's name in charge. The account number will be sent to you upon your response. This is a refundable interview security deposit. Your offer letter with air tickets will be sent to your home address by courier after receiving the confirmation of the interview security deposit in any of the STATE BANK OF INDIA OR ICICI BANK. This company will pay all the expenditure to you at the time of a face-to-face meeting with you in the company. The job profile, salary offer, and date-time of the interview will be mentioned in your offer letter. Your offer letter will be dispatched very shortly after receiving your confirmation of cash deposit in STATE BANK OF INDIA OR ICICI BANK. We wish you the best of luck for the subsequent and remaining stage. The last date for the security deposit in the bank is October 15, 2013. You have to give the information after depositing the security amount in the bank to the company HRD-direct recruitment via email: [Email Removed For Privacy Reasons].

Your letter with supporting documents will be dispatched at the same time by courier to your postal address after receipt of security deposit confirmation in the bank. The interview process and arrangement expenditure will be paid by SUZUKI COMPANY. Lodging, traveling, and local conveyance actuals will be paid by SUZUKI COMPANY as per bills. The candidate has to deposit the initial refundable security as mentioned by HRD.

NB: You are advised to reconfirm your mailing address and phone number in your reply. Rs. 15,200/- (Fifteen thousand two hundred rupees) will be the refundable amount, as 200 rupees will be deducted as bank charges for fund deposit. Whether you are selected or not, the amount will still be refunded to you, as the amount is just to prove that you will be coming for the interview so that we do not incur a loss after sending you the air ticket and you don't show up on the day of the interview.

Wishing you the best of luck.

Regards,

Shinzo Nakanishi

Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director, MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA LTD (MSIL)

Advice for Job Seekers

The consequences of falling prey to scammers may include identity theft, the loss of your hard-earned money, and illegal charges to your credit card. It can be a very tough lesson to bear and devastating for cash-strapped job seekers. Don’t learn things the hard way. Avoid falling prey to unscrupulous scammers; do your homework and checks very carefully.

Dear Nathrao,

This business of scamming is worldwide. I am drawing the readers' attention to an article in The Daily Telegraph, UK. Please read and digest the contents at 10 scams to watch out for in 2014 - Telegraph. I am sure if we search the web, we will find more such examples.

"Sadly, I have suspicions that there is a CiteHR member who might be involved with this scam."

Open Forum Dynamics

Aussie John, this is an open forum; all become members, and it is quite possible that some try in their ways to earn extra. We have posts that offer high amounts for simple copy-paste tasks, loans being offered, and people ready to do projects for you on payment so that students can get higher project marks. All this is human nature. If there is a member of the forum involved, he must be exposed.

Hello Nathrao, Regarding your line "It just beats me to see how people fall for such obvious traps," the only reason would be GREED... be it monetary, position, brand label of the company, etc. They just can't resist something that comes for either free or with a lower cost.

Common Sense

And just a quote about common sense that you mentioned: "Common sense is that sense that is not so common." So you have the answers why people fall for such tricks... and some repeatedly so even after getting hit earlier [maybe something of a gambling psychology at work here].

@ John -- What makes you say "I have suspicions that there is a CiteHR member who might be involved with this scam"? Also, I guess India isn't the only place where such scamsters exist... USA, Russia & Europe are full of them -- except that the modus operandi and the scale differ.

Regards, TS

Call Centers and Fraudulent Activities

Remember that almost all call centers in India are run by foreign ventures, including some Australian companies. The possibility cannot be denied that this fraudulent case could have also been "outsourced" here from an overseas company as the first choice to fake authenticity.

Exaggeration and Anxiety Among Members

Anyway, I would say the words "biggest frauds being perpetrated on the world" to describe this venture may be a little exaggerated in itself. But as a CiteHR member yourself, I think you can understand that the sentence "Sadly, I have suspicions that there is a CiteHR member who might be involved with this scam." can unnecessarily invoke anxiety among all members.

I hope you have indicated your suspicions by other proper means like voting to remove posts, indicating the suspicions to the admin, etc.

Best Regards,
Amod Bobade

Just thought this could be of interest to all and relevant to this thread.

Avoiding the Faux Recruiter

Rgds,
TS

Dear AussieJohn, Remember that almost all of the call centers in India are run by foreign ventures, including some Australian companies. The possibility cannot be denied that this fraudulent case could have also been "outsourced" here from an overseas company, as the first choice to fake authenticity.

Anyway, I would say the words "biggest frauds being perpetrated on the world" to describe this venture may be a little exaggerated in itself.

But as a CiteHR member yourself, I think you can understand that the sentence "Sadly, I have suspicions that there is a CiteHR member who might be involved with this scam." can be unnecessarily invoking anxiety amongst all members.

I hope you have indicated your suspicions by other proper means like voting to remove posts, indicating the suspicions to the admin, etc.

Best Regards, Amod Bobade

Amod, Whilst many companies around the world use the large well-resourced Indian Call Centres, Australian companies included, most of those companies do not own the call centers. They merely outsource their requirements to Indian companies. I am of the view that these companies, used by banks, telcos, and other service organizations, are for the most part reputable.

The Microsoft Windows scam is well-documented on the Internet. It could be masterminded from outside India, but until someone proves otherwise, India will continue to get the blame for it, as it is Indians making the calls.

On the matter of my suspicions about unsolicited calls regarding solar power rebates in Oz, it arose from a posting and interaction I had with a member seeking Australian data for his call center early in 2014. Solar was specifically mentioned. While I do not monitor CiteHR every day, I have not seen any postings from that person since that time. Once again, this scam is well-documented on the internet.

These problems are widespread because the scammers (from any country) play on the fears and weaknesses of people. Many of us are smart enough to see through the scam and just hang up, but less experienced people end up being caught and losing a lot of money. Here in Australia, this is despite the government giving lots of warnings to people to be careful.

In another example, it is estimated that in 2013, people around the world lost over $12 Billion. I will repeat that figure - 12 billion dollars - in Nigerian money scams. People are gullible, that's for sure.