Criminals operating in the Philippines are not only experts in romance scams and advance fee fraud, but as the global economy is struggling to improve, many criminals are finding employment scams to be quite profitable. As more people around the world are searching for employment opportunities online, criminals are busy posting fake job offers online to scam victims. The below will help you know the warning signs.

Background checks and due diligence is the way to go to minimize your risk. Whenever you see a good job opportunity that you think is worth trying, it pays to be skeptical and do your research. Search Google for information on the company, and even try contacting the company directly to see if in fact the job posting is real. See what others are saying about the company and watch out for offers that seem too good to be true, or employment offers that require your ID, passport copy, social security number, or other data. A real offer should not ask for this data until the hiring process is nearly complete, and you are onsite.

Contrary to investigators in the U.K. or the U.S. where a quick glimpse at a database or online can give you a lot of information, companies and offers in Asia and the Philippines especially can be very hard to verify. In the Philippines old practices of corruption in bureaucratic agencies makes it essential to contract a professional investigation agency that can verify the information you have available and let you know, for certain if you are safe, and if the opportunity and company is as it claims to be. Even investigators in the region can also scam you, so it’s key to go with a trusted Philippines private detective with a proven track record.

Background check and due diligence investigations in the Asia are usually conducted by local investigators on the ground, who have access to local records, speak the same language, and have contacts with government agencies, and can visit physical offices and facilities if needed. Using an untrained investigator versus a professional investigator is similar to representing yourself in the court of law, versus having a trained lawyer with 25 years of experience.  You get what you pay for in the Philippines.

To look for a good job also requires putting sometime of your own and doing some screening yourself. Ask the company a lot of questions and never provide personal data or payment for any claimed offer. Never provide personal data unless you have been to an interview first.  Criminals often try to get the applicant to pay for the processing of the application, or similar fees to the candidate can get the job – and the job of course which seems too good to be true, doesn’t exist. Or, the criminal may try to get your resume, passport copy, address and date of birth so they in turn can steal your identity and drain your bank account.

In this bad economy, search for job offers with caution and skepticism. Be aware of the risk and verify companies and job offers with a Philippines background check if there is any doubt.

Be safe and verify,

C. Wright
© 2012 Philippine PI™