Scammers offering jobs to Portugal, public warned

The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon has cautioned Filipinos against nonexistent jobs in Portugal offered by scammers on the internet.

According to the embassy, the warning was issued due to the rising number of cases of Filipinos who have been victimized or have received e-mails purportedly from Portugal-based law firms or companies that offer jobs or working visa processing services in exchange for money transfer payments.

“The public is hereby advised to exercise due diligence and caution in dealing with unverified parties to avoid being victimized by these scams,” it said.

In the advisory, it was noted that the scammers pose as representatives of reputable Portuguese firms, copying their websites and replacing their contact information to seek fees for entry clearance certificates, international overseas employment clearances and affidavits of guarantee fund.

In other cases, scammers instruct the victims to transact with a specific travel agency which will supposedly process the visa and paperwork for the employment contract.

The embassy pointed out that none of the documents, for which scammers ask for money, is required by Portuguese authorities.

“Be aware that business companies with international dealings rarely hire employees solely on the basis of curriculum vitae but will always require personal interviews,” the embassy said.

“Prospective employees should likewise be wary of job offers from individuals who ask for monetary fees for testing or processing of documents prior to employment because this is a sure sign of a scam,” it said.

The Philippine Embassy in Lisbon has been coordinating with companies in Portugal and with local police authorities on the matter.

It also advised Filipinos who want to work in Portugal to get in touch with the Portuguese Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, or the embassy in Lisbon to be sure of their transactions.