Be wary of social media, jobseekers warned

Be wary of social media, jobseekers warned

By The Nation

Crooks have lured hundreds of unsuspecting Thais to seek non-existent jobs abroad, the Department of Employment (DOE) said on Wednesday.

DOE chief Waranon Pitiwan said half the victims had been trapped by adverts on social media programmes like Facebook and Line.

Many Thais still believed that working overseas could boost their families' finances, Waranon said, and criminals used this to trick 317 jobseekers in the first seven months of the year. 

The victims, most of whom were from the North and Northeast, paid hefty fees to illegal job agents for jobs they were never going to get, he said.

The “agents” often didn't meet their victims in person and thus got away with the crime, he said, adding that the DOE has so far taken action against 195 suspects. He warned that those found guilty of tricking people of money or assets with fraudulent promises of jobs overseas would be jailed for three to 10 years and/or fined Bt60,000 to Bt200,000.

“Job seekers should not fall victim to those inviting them to work aboard, especially if the invitations or job applications are made via Facebook or Line and require fee payments, without thoroughly checking facts,” Waranan said.

“It is easy to open such media accounts to lure people for money and then just close the accounts and disappear." 

Waranan said if people wanted to work abroad and to be sure the jobs were legitimate, they could get information from DOE provincial branch offices, from the Bangkok office, the DOE head office or by calling the DOE hotline, 1694.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30325310

 

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