If there are people that I really abhor in this world, it must be cons, and mostly those cons and scammers who try to take advantage of the have nots. So recently my sister completed her undergraduate and is currently waiting to graduate later this year. Having more than enough time on her hands she decided to start job hunting and looking for internships only to nearly fall victim to a well executed scam. Having completed a course in the hospitality and tourism sector, she was recommended by a friend to apply to a certain company which needed a Reservations Manager; a position which she’d been told was vacant since the previous holder had passed away earlier this year.
She was given the instructions on how to apply and the contact person (HR) to assist her through the process. After she applied via the given email address [email protected], that is when I noticed the first red flag. The HR told her that since she has no experience yet and they wanted to give her the position, she will have to give something small (a token) to the personnel Mgr by the name of Mr. Makori. The token of appreciation was 5k. I told my siz that she’ll be dumb to even think of paying such an amount to someone when you’re yet to step in their company premises or gotten the job. She then told them that we had no issue paying the amount, but it shall only be done when she gets the job. The guy reluctantly agreed.
At this point I do a search of this company and try checking whether it is legit, they have a basic website http://pecksoytours.co.ke/ , The facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Pecksoy-Tours-and-Travels-Ltd-2051393731541386/ has 18 followers and I think 3-4 followers on twitter, they do not have an instagram page. I do a background check on the listed Wazungu directors and there’s no info on them, not even a LinkedIn page.
Two days later, she receives a “Calling Letter” from the HR, she’s buzzing about it. I’m nonchalant as always and I tell her to hold her excitement until she steps into their offices and verifies that they are a legit company. I again give a call to the Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) purposely to find out whether this Company is a registered Tours and Travel firm, but as is the norm with most service providers, I get no assistance. One of their Officers tells me that he cannot disclose such information since he doesn’t know me or my intentions. I’m advised by a friend to check whether they appear on https://www.safaribookings.com/ but they did not. I informed my siz to tread cautiously but at the same time go with their flow to see what they are upto.
So on 21st August the scammer texts her telling her to send the following documents via email:
Certificate of Good Conduct,
NSSF
NHIF
CRB Clearance
KRA Pin
EACC certificate.
Keep in mind that this is someone who has just completed her studies and is yet to graduate. At this point I tell her to inform him that she doesn’t have most of those docs apart from the KRA pin and will process them in a few days/weeks. These requirements appear nowhere in their letter of advertisement or the calling letter. I then tell my siz that by noon, the guy will call him asking for some money to help her bypass this step or buy her time. True to my words, at 2pm, the scammer calls and requests her to send half of the appreciative token to help her bypass this. He then tells her to be at Koinange Street by 7:30am in front of CIANDA house where a company bus will pick her. At this point I inform her to halt all exchanges with the scammer. I warn her about even trying or thinking of showing up at that place as I’m sure it is a set up for robbery.
So here is the calling letter, they also had an Employee Rulebook to look legit (attached in pdf format)
[ATTACH=full]189517[/ATTACH]
Note the deadline date which he told her to disregard.
[ATTACH=full]189509[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=full]189518[/ATTACH]
Beware of these scammers.