I almost got scammed - Fake job post
On the 20th of January 2017 I was given a letter of retrenchment at work. The company did not get business from our usual clients. I only have until 28 February with the current company so I decided to start looking for a job. Especially with my wife pregnant and due April, it has been frustrating. I have degree in Electrical engineering and over 10 years experience so I been confused between looking for a new job or stop crying for a boss and focus on my own private company Yapele Embedded Solutions.
Image credit: 1
Started feeling desperate and been applying for openings in engineering and came across this one:
If you go to this website https://www.shessco.com everything looks legit...Right?!
It claims to be Shessco Oil & Exploration
They even posted a job opening on a reputable website Pnet:
Source: http://www.pnet.co.za/jobs--Engineer-Dublin-Ireland--2458020-inline.html
They replied with the following email:
From: Shessco Oil & Exploration <[email protected]>
Sent: 27 January 2017 01:42 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Resume Acceptance
Dear Lucky Omphemetsi
This is to inform you that we have review your resume and have find
you eligible for further procedure.
You will be process for an online interview by our Hr Department as detail
below.
Mr. Foster Bent
Chief HR Manager
Email: [email protected]
Kindly contact him with the selection reference no: AA706ATN.
We appreciate your interest to work with us and welcome you abode.
Thank You
Regards--
Eng: Robert Jovita Sung
Recruitment Welfare Manager
Shessco Oil and Gas
Shessco Tower 103/42 Heather Road
Sandyford Industrial Estate
Dublin 18
Tel: +353 151 37172 ext 108
Website: www.shessco.com
For an unsuspecting individual everything looks legit because most of thing looks proper:
- Email address (not a free account)
- Location address
- Landline number
- Website
My English is bad but this line:
You will be process for an online interview by our Hr Department as detail
below.
"You will be process"
The online interview...Again no company can hire you without a face to face interview
Why should I contact one of their own employees with a ref number, why can't they forward him the email?
Kindly contact him with the selection reference no: AA706ATN.
And again pay attention to the title its Mr and later it will be Prof:
Mr. Foster Bent
I replied and they sent a follow up email as always:
From: Shessco Oil & Exploration <[email protected]>
Sent: 30 January 2017 07:43 AM
To: Lucky Mokalusi
Subject: Re: Introduction/Online Interview
Attn: Lucky Mokalusi
Welcome to Shessco Oil & Gas Explorations career section. My name is Prof Foster Bent, I will be processing you throughout the entire process till your employment.
I will begin by giving you a brief introduction about Shessco Oil & Gas Exploration.
Leon Shessco, age 19, forms Shessco Incorporated in 1933, since then Shessco has became a Leading Independent Energy Company. We produced about 396,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2012 from our assets in countries including the U.S., Norway, Denmark, Algeria, Libya, Equatorial Guinea Ireland and Malaysia. Our global Production organization includes our shale oil and gas operations, one of the three core elements of our exploration and production strategy. We rely on lean production techniques to maximize the success of our shale oil and gas operations in places like North Dakota’s Bakken formation.
Shessco operates the North Malay Basin - Integrated Gas Development project , located offshore Peninsular Malaysia, under a Production Sharing Contract with PETRONAS. Under an early production system, its Kamelia field commenced production in October 2013.
We are one of the most efficient operators in the Bakken, where we reduced our drilling and completion costs more than 40 percent since the beginning of 2012. Shessco has improved productivity to become one of the best performers in the Bakken.
To unlock shale oil and gas resources that are often found one to two miles below the earth’s surface, we employ industry proven horizontal drilling techniques that make it possible for us to efficiently access more crude oil and natural gas from fewer well sites. We also use hydraulic fracturing, a technique safely deployed in about 1 million U.S. wells since 1949.
Following consideration of your application. I am pleased to inform you that you have been short-listed for interview. Since you are not residing in the United Kingdom territory, you are automatically entitled to our online interview system.
Kindly complete the form accurately without any false information. All information will be properly scrutinize by our specialist.
Please upload a relevant document as proof of your national identity to enable us
prepare a work permit permission letter to work in Ireland as specified by the Ireland Borders Agency (e.g. passport, national identity card, residence permit etc) in case where you are selected for employment.
In accordance with our equal opportunities policy, we would like to ensure that all
candidates, regardless of disability, can participate fully in the selection process.
Therefore, I would be grateful if you would advise us of any additional assistance that we may be able to provide.
Kindly click http://www.shessco.com/shesscointerview.html to attend our online interview
Online interview MUST be completed within 72 hours of receipt of email.
I will be servicing your account and performances, so please feel free to contact me for more information and assistance.
Have a nice day and good luck !
Thank You
Regards
--
Prof Foster Bent
Human Resources Manager
Shessco Tower 103/42 Heather Road
Sandyford Industrial Estate
Dublin 18
Tel: +353 15137172 Ext 4
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.shessco.com
And again pay attention to the title its now Prof:
Prof Foster Bent
I did a background check and found this website by Scam Advisor: http://www.scamadviser.com/check-website/shessco.com
Notes:-
Alert ResultThe owner of the website is using a service to hide their identity
Alert ResultThis website is 1 Years old
Alert ResultThe website expected life (365 days) is relatively short.
And right there the truth..thanks to Naude Snyders:
Luckily I didn't fill out the online interview (it requested copy of my passport)...well my resume is already gone.
But my questions are now pointed to Pnet as a reputable recruitment company for not checking the authenticity of the job post.
Be careful and always do a background check no matter how desperate you might be.
I doubt Pnet does much on background checks to be honest.
If so, its really bad.
Thank you for this post. It was a bit too late for me however as I already filled in the online application form and now they have a scan of my passport. Luckily, they have no other details such as bank account numbers, etc. I am now trying to exhaust a few channels to protect myself from identity theft if that is their goal. I agree, this is a completely unnecessary heart ache and Pnet received a very unhappy e-mail from me. As a first time job seeker (recent graduate), I am aware of scams, but was not intent enough on it to use a scam advising website or pick up on some clues. I will be more vigilant in the future, and much more critical of Pnet. Here's hoping for no repercussions!
Sorry to hear. Luckily I managed to pick up very early that is scam before sending out my passport...i also sent Pnet an email hope they reply. But I pray this scammers wont do anything with what you have sent them. The next step for them maybe was to ask for money to cover some costs for Visa application.
Hi @mokluc
Thank you for sharing, I hope you find a good job soon.
@rynow, its bad but I will keep fighting. Thanks
Thanks for informations @mokluc... And congratulation to your wife that in pragnant, I hope she always fine. You too... :)
@steemvest17 thanks she is doing very well. I am getting by.
Hi @Mokluc. I am new here and was doing a background check on this job. I think mine went too far because they had already received the appointment letter but now my concern arose when they they wanted me to pay Visa fees and telling me they will reimburse me when I reach Dublin. My other concern was that in my own experience with such technology as Skype and everything else, I only did a telephone interview and was granted the appointment letter the following day. No background check, no criminal checks nothing. How is that possible? Now that having been calling me daily in order to make sure I speed up the payment