Jobs and lottery frauds! Beware

If the offer sounds too good to be true…beware. It could be a scam.

Many people in India are being cheated with job offers and lotteries that do not exist. Stop and think before you part with your money, your passport, your personal details or your current job.

Many scams may appear to come from the UK, but the criminals behind the scam are actually based in other countries.

It is likely to be a scam if:

• You receive an offer of a job for which you have not applied
  
• You receive a job offer by email
  
• You are asked to deposit money into a third party’s bank account to apply for your UK visa
  
• You are asked for your bank account details by email or phone
  
• You are asked to get in touch with a named contact in a British High Commission or visa department (now called the UK Border Agency)
  
• You are offered cash in exchange for bank account details
  
• You are told you have won a lottery, but you have not bought a ticket

If you receive a scam email:

• Do not pay any money
  
• Do not have any further contact with the originators of the email - these people are professional criminals and their aim is to exploit you and take your money and/or your personal details.
  

If you have been cheated because of a job or lottery scam:

• Report it to the Indian police authorities.
  
• This is an international crime - investigations must be taken forward by the Indian police, CBI and Interpol. The British High Commission has no jurisdiction to investigate or take out criminal prosecutions in India.
  

How to find out if a UK company is genuine:

• Some job scams can be very clever. Check the company's details very carefully.
  
• Genuine UK company websites may be provided, but the contact email addresses may be false. A genuine company name may be given, but the address will be that of a commercial service provider, and wrong. For example: genuine website - www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk. False contact details – ukvisas@hotmail.co.uk
• Genuine UK companies are officially registered and can be checked by logging on to www.companieshouse.gov.uk
• Phone the company in the UK if you are approached about a UK job, and ask detailed questions about the company and the job.
  
• Genuine UK companies do not usually give a mobile number for contact details. Request a landline number. If you can, compare the area dialling code with the given location of the company.
  
• UK company addresses can be checked by logging on to: www.upmystreet.com.uk
• Most genuine UK companies do not use a hotmail or yahoo type email account.
  

Job offers from the UK Government:

• The UK Government, including UK Trade and Investment, does not send unsolicited emails with job offers - either direct or through agents. Government vacancies are advertised on official websites in the UK: www.careers-civilservice.gov.uk or in India on the British High Commission's website: http://ukinindia.fco.gov.uk.
  
• Some job scams falsely use the names and job titles of genuine High Commission staff. A genuine email from an official member of staff will always be sent from our official email address - @fco.gov.uk. It will never be sent from a hotmail or yahoo type email account.
  

Research UK jobs and terms and conditions of employment:

Think about:

• The credibility of the job offer you have received
  
• Are the salary and benefits offered realistic? For example, for jobs in the hospitality sector, a monthly salary of £4,000 plus benefits of a free car, free health insurance, free accommodation, free flights for you and your family, plus generous leave entitlements etc are simply not credible.
  

The recruitment procedure

• Genuine UK companies normally have a rigorous recruitment procedure, including a face-to-face interview. They would not usually offer a job by email.
  
• How you were contacted by the UK company
  
• For example, if you met an employee in an internet chat room who then made you a job offer, this is very likely to be a scam.
  

Visa fees:

• The UK Border Agency processes UK visas. You are not required to deposit money into a third party’s bank account in order to apply for your visa. Be cautious if you are asked by your prospective employer to do so.
  
• You will not be provided with a contact name at the British High Commission to process your visa application.
  
• You must submit your visa application in person at one of the UK Border Agency’s visa application centres (operated by VFS Global), where your fingerscans and photograph are taken. Please see www.vfs-uk-in.com for the locations of the centres and information about the application process.
  
• British High Commission and UK Border Agency staff do not ask you for payment of fees directly. Visa fees are paid at the visa application centre when you make your application. There are no "additional visa fees"
  
• Current visa fees are published on the VFS website: www.vfs-uk-in.com
• Visa application forms are free of charge. Information and guidance on application procedures are published at www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk and www.vfs-uk-in.com.
  
• The UK Government does not provide or charge for "additional services" such as travel insurance, health screening checks, police checks, security checks etc.
  
• There is no such thing as an “anti-terrorism certificate”. So do not pay money to obtain one.
  

Lottery scams:

• All genuine UK lotteries are registered and have websites
  
• If you did not buy a ticket, you cannot win a lottery
  
• UK lotteries do not email winners or refer to amounts won
  
• Further advice on lottery-related frauds is available from the Gambling Commission: log on to www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk