Labor Attache Jalilo dela Torre has warned against a new
Britain-based jobs scam reminiscent of the rip-off that victimized hundreds of
Filipino domestic workers in Hong Kong in 2016.
His warning came in the form of a Facebook post he shared on Aug.
14, which was posted originally by his counterpart in Britain, Rey Conferido.
The scam reportedly involves the use of work documents
purportedly verified and authenticated by labor officials attached to the
Philippine embassy in London, complete with their signatures and chops.
The blue-collar jobs being offered, along with fat salaries and
other perks, came from a company calling itself Bailey Consultants Ltd, and
purportedly run by its sole director, a Mrs. Michele Bailey.
The jobs included those for truck drivers, electricians,
carpenters, masons and painters at a salary of £2,500 each; and £3,000 for
concrete machine mixers, all supposedly tax-free.
The package included a British visa and work permit, a five-day
work week, free board and lodging, free Wifi, annual vacation leave, free air
ticket “to and flow”, overtime pay, free medical attention, and eligibility for
residency in five years.
Bailey Consultants Ltd purportedly needed 105 of these worker
categories, 30 of whom would be carpenters and 25 painters who would be paid
£2,500 a month.
The company said hiring would be carried out by its Philippine
partner employment agency KYR International Manpower Services located along
EDSA, Quezon City.
The SUN sent an email message to KYR on Aug 20 asking it to
comment on its alleged partnership with Bailey, but has yet to get a reply. The
package was similar to that offered by employment agency owner Ester Ylagan to
lure thousands of OFWs to apply for jobs in Canada at $15,000 each; and in
Britain at $10,000 each.
Conferido, who exposed the scam and whose alleged signature
appeared on the documents, warned jobseekers against falling for the latest
scam.
“Mag-ingat sa walang tigil na scammer na ito!!! Babalaan ang
publiko laban dito. Fake ang mga dokumento at ang mga pirma dito. Yung ‘Faith
Recruitment Agency’ na supposedly nagre-represent sa ‘Bailey Consultants Ltd’
ang notorious na nag-umpisa nito,” the labor attaché warned.
“Doon sa mga pinapadalhan nito, i-report ninyo sa mga government
agencies na may anti-cyber crime function. Sana atakihin din ito ng mga good
hackers,” said Conferido.
Bailey Consultants put its address as 5 Burstock Road, London
SW15, with a certain Mrs Michele Bailey as its lone director.
It claimed to be listed in https://beta-companieshouse. gov.uk,
an online listing of firms registered with Companies House, a registrar of
companies and executive agency and trading fund of the British government.
A check with Companies House showed Bailey is a private limited
company incorporated in June 2010 with a share capital of 100 shares, with an
aggregate nominal value of £75.
The company is classified as active but there is no mention of
what business it is into, and apparently it is plainly a shelf company. – Vir
B. Lumicao
