Every aspiring OFW hopes to land a lucrative overseas job that can help them earn good income. And so they start looking at options and try to spend big amounts of money just so they can leave the country and start working soon.
But lo and behold, not everyone who goes through this process gets to fly abroad. Some of them ends stuck in their hometowns with big debts they need to pay. Others make it to the foreign land but finds themselves in awful situations such as bad bosses and delayed salaries. Worse, some even have to hide from authorities because they do not have proper documents to work there in the first place.
Most often than not, those who deal with illegal recruiters. Consequences really come and so it’s always better to do things the right way.
Here are some questions you should consider to avoid illegal recruiters or scammers as you pursue your overseas dreams:
1) Are they legit?
First off, a legit recruitment agency has a POEA license. Otherwise, you really should think twice.
At the same time, you may want to avoid unauthorized representatives even of licensed agencies. You are running the risk of being scammed if you do that. All transactions should be done at the agency’s office or at their provincial recruitment authority.
2) Are they asking a lot of money?
Sure, you will need to spend some money but be very careful with that. Generally, all you need to pay for is the placement fee when you already have a valid employment contract and an official receipt. Another red flag is when they tell you to reply to a certain P.O. Box address where you need to send payment for faster document processing.
3) Are they cutting corners?
Training centers and travel agencies are not authorized to provide overseas employment. Also, do not accept it if they are giving you a tourist visa and if they are constantly working with fixers.
If you detect these three signs, it’s a guarantee that you are dealing with an illegal recruiter. It’s always better to stay away if you don’t want to end up with similar problems mentioned above.