Another scam/Fake visa ?

[grahamw48]

A friend of my girlfriend has paid p55,000 to some agency in the UK for this visa. Supposedly a nanny job for a rich widower. Payment to Western Union. :NoNo:

(more info to come...details of their address etc)

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Here it is. I'm sending a copy to my bro' at the FCO in London, plus details of the (possible) scammers.

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http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b258/grahamw48/PIworkvisa_zps9dd452fc.jpg~original

[jake]

:NoNo:
Poor lass.
This sort of scam has been going on for years.
Common sense seems to go out the window when some folks apply for jobs abroad.

You can easily check if an agency is legit by looking at the Philippine Overseas Employment Agency website. I would still be cautious if dealing with employment agencies in any country.

http://www.poea.gov.ph/cgi-bin/agList.asp?mode=all

[grahamw48]

Thanks for the link Jake.

I'll pass that on. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[RickyR]

Oh gosh, how awful. I cannot imagine how bad some of the victims feel when they discover they've borrowed/begged/saved money for a fake visa.

[raynaputi]

:cwm23:

I feel sorry for your girlfriend's friend. My sister was telling me last time that they have a neighbour who was scammed too. She actually doesn't know what happened but she told me the neighbour has sent money via Western Union and then nothing happened. She told me that she has warned the neighbour beforehand that it might be a scam but didn't listen. I feel so sorry for these vulnerable people. :NoNo:

[Terpe]

What a sad story. It's really a terrible thing to be so badly robbed by criminals who gained trust. :cwm23:

[grahamw48]

:cwm23:

I feel sorry for your girlfriend's friend. My sister was telling me last time that they have a neighbour who was scammed too. She actually doesn't know what happened but she told me the neighbour has sent money via Western Union and then nothing happened. She told me that she has warned the neighbour beforehand that it might be a scam but didn't listen. I feel so sorry for these vulnerable people. :NoNo:

Mercedes said her friend didn't want to listen either. She's already parted with p45,000, and the :censored:s told her she could pay the rest in instalments (to W.U). :NoNo:

[raynaputi]

Mercedes said her friend didn't want to listen either. She's already parted with p45,000, and the :censored:s told her she could pay the rest in instalments (to W.U). :NoNo:

Well, some people will really learn the hard way isn't it? It's just these scammers really know who to target. :NoNo:

[Jentobeharrison]

My cousin too! She was emailed by some sort of company from UK and she was asked to pay 27,000 PHP thru WU but when she went to WU, the teller did not accept her payment because she was thinking that it was a scam and advised my cousin to double check it.

[grahamw48]

Wow...that was an amazing WU teller. Deserves an award. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[Iani]

:cwm23::cwm23::cwm23::cwm23:

It's really embarassing that people might think it's British up to this scam, when you can be sure it's rarely real British people, but nationals from one of four other countries, who probably aren't even in Britain.

[Dedworth]

:cwm23::cwm23::cwm23::cwm23:

It's really embarassing that people might think it's British up to this scam, when you can be sure it's rarely real British people, but nationals from one of four other countries, who probably aren't even in Britain.

No doubt these rats are holed up in Nigeria & The Indian Sub Continent

[joebloggs]

this looks like a scan of a visit visa (see below) with her picture stuck on :NoNo:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eaFFheCt3Wk/TnyUEsu0GRI/AAAAAAAACN8/lc6wKae0CFk/uk%252520visit%252520visa-2.jpg

other visa's

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/international/immigration/whatvisa/images/

[grahamw48]

No doubt these rats are holed up in Nigeria & The Indian Sub Continent

The last visa scam I saw exposed (TV programme ?)....yes, the scumbags were from Nigeria, with one guy in Manchester I think it was, manning a phone. :mad:

[grahamw48]

this looks like a scan of a visit visa (see below) with her picture stuck on :NoNo:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eaFFheCt3Wk/TnyUEsu0GRI/AAAAAAAACN8/lc6wKae0CFk/uk%252520visit%252520visa-2.jpg

other visa's

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/international/immigration/whatvisa/images/

Thanks for that Joe. Hopefully Merly will direct her friend to that website, so she can compare.

[Iani]

No doubt these rats are holed up in Nigeria & The Indian Sub Continent

You may say that, I couldn't possibly comment :icon_lol:

[andy222]

No doubt these rats are holed up in Nigeria & The Indian Sub Continent

That was my first thought too. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

Ok. I've now received copies of all (some OBVIOUSLY fake) documents from this victim, and they've been forwarded to my brother at the FCO.

He'll make sure they go to the correct people to pursue this SCAM. :mad:

[Arthur Little]

That was my first thought too. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

:cwm25: ... mine also! :cwm23:

[Terpe]

Ok. I've now received copies of all (some OBVIOUSLY fake) documents from this victim, and they've been forwarded to my brother at the FCO.

He'll make sure they go to the correct people to pursue this SCAM. :mad:

Nice work Graham :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

Here's an example of this RUBBISH. :mad:

Clearly, spelling is not their strong point. :NoNo:

('Dr.Tracy Wood' is the supposed prospective employer).

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http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b258/grahamw48/fakedoc_zps4d678258.jpg~original

[grahamw48]

Hmm, it has posted very small on here. I don't know if anyone else can see it any larger ?

If copied and saved to your pc you'll be able to view it properly.

[joebloggs]

State and Zip code :icon_lol: i can understanding adapting forms for the EU lot but not the Americans :biggrin:

[grahamw48]

...and what was that spelling ...'geniune' ? :NoNo:

[Arthur Little]

Here's an example of this RUBBISH. :mad:

Clearly, spelling is not their strong point. :NoNo:

('Dr.Tracy Wood' is the supposed prospective employer).

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http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b258/grahamw48/fakedoc_zps4d678258.jpg~original

Hmm :icon_rolleyes: ... thought I'd try and further enlarge the 'Oath Declaration' by simply replying to your response in #21, Graham - sometimes such a strategy seems to work ... :anerikke: ... other times it doesn't (don't ask me why) - unfortunately on this occasion, it hasn't. Nor [still] is it possible to make out the name of the person being attested to :NoNo: - even with the aid of a magnifying glass :grosyeux: - as the printing is simply too small and indistinct! :doh

[grahamw48]

More nonsense. :NoNo:



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http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b258/grahamw48/fakedoc2_zpsbf4a67ce.jpg~original

[grahamw48]

A useful link....

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http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/fraud-az-recruitment-scams

[grahamw48]

Hmm :icon_rolleyes: ... thought I'd try and further enlarge the 'Oath Declaration' by simply replying to your response in #21, Graham - sometimes such a strategy seems to work ... :anerikke: ... other times it doesn't (don't ask me why) - unfortunately on this occasion, it hasn't. Nor [still] is it possible to make out the name of the person being attested to :NoNo: - even with the aid of a magnifying glass :grosyeux: - as the printing is simply too small and indistinct! :doh

It DOES appear larger now Arthur. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

I have had an exchange of emails with my brother now (and he has looked at all the documents, which of course he has agreed are total nonsense).

He has given me some links and email addresses for those Filipinos who are tempted to follow a similar path as this unfortunate young lady.

I think that the gov.uk site could be usefully posted as a sticky on the 'jobs' section of this forum (if it hasn't already).

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/frauds-tricks-and-scams/frauds-tricks-and-scams

https://www.gov.uk/government/world/organisations/british-embassy-manila

ukinthephilippines@fco.gov.uk

There is not much else I can do to help now, as our Actionfraud team (link in my previous post) will only take information from the actual victim, but for others, 'forewarned is forearmed'.

I have sent the file of documents to the British Embassy in Manila.

[Terpe]

...I think that the the gov.uk site could be usefully posted as a sticky on the 'jobs' section of this forum (if it hasn't already).

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/frauds-tricks-and-scams/frauds-tricks-and-scams

Nice suggestion Graham :xxgrinning--00xx3:

All done. I entered to each sub-section that I thought would be best.
Maybe overkill, but better that than not enough..

Thanks Graham...

[grahamw48]

No probs .:xxgrinning--00xx3:

Anything to help others avoid falling into the clutches of these total scumbags. :mad:

[gWaPito]

What a sad story. It's really a terrible thing to be so badly robbed by criminals who gained trust. :cwm23:

Exactly..i know the feeling :angry::voodoo::action-smiley-060:

[grahamw48]

Here is the reply I received from the British Embassy in Manila:

.
Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email addressed to the Policy, Projects and Communication section.

I am afraid that the British Embassy has neither the authority nor the means to confirm the legitimacy of any travel agency, company or private employer. We also cannot vouch for the authenticity of any document from private companies or even other government offices.

Please be reminded that Filipinos who wish to travel to the UK for any reason should know that all visa fees are paid in the Philippines, not in the UK. All UK visa applications for Filipinos are lodged at the local Visa Facilitation Centre in Makati City, Philippines. If your prospective employer asks you to send money overseas for visa processing or work permit, please exercise caution as this is a possible indicator of scam.

More information about working in the UK can be found at the UK Visas and Immigration website:http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk (http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/)

[Arthur Little]

Here is the reply I received from the British Embassy in Manila:


I am afraid that the British Embassy has neither the authority nor the means to confirm the legitimacy of any travel agency, company or private employer. We also cannot vouch for the authenticity of any document from private companies or even other government offices.

Please be reminded that Filipinos who wish to travel to the UK for any reason should know that all visa fees are paid in the Philippines, not in the UK. All UK visa applications for Filipinos are lodged at the local Visa Facilitation Centre in Makati City, Philippines. If your prospective employer asks you to send money overseas for visa processing or work permit, please exercise caution as this is a possible indicator of scam.


Hmm... :anerikke: ... these paragraphs certainly "speak for themselves", as to the correct (indeed, the only) legitimate means of applying for overseas visas, Graham ... :68711_thanx:

Accordingly, I've made this thread a 'Sticky' for future reference, and given you some well~deserved rep for your efforts. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

[grahamw48]

Thanks very much Arthur...on both counts. :xxgrinning--00xx3:

If only one person can be warned off...worthwhile. :smile: