We received a hot scam from an email regarding online scam artists offering high-paying job of about 600 GBP per week, or US$9,000 per month. The scammer will require the victim to send an advanced fee to a personal account, in order to make the necessary Visa and travel arrangements.

These scamming baits can be found via email and at social networking sites at myspace.com. Most of the time, the victims may be hired even when the lack the credentials for the job.

In one instance, a 56-year old security guard sent US$2,100 to Sierra Leone after being promised a job as a security director in a Bahrain hotel with a monthly salaray of US$9,000. After the money was sent, the job never came.

In another, a lady named Ms Dacillo received an offer after she posted "jobs wanted" at myspace.com. She was offered a 600GBP a week to work as an au pair (aka nanny) to a 5-year-old boy in England. When she was required to transfer money to a Nigeria personal, she probably sensed something was not right and did not pursue further.

Others were offered highly paid jobs as investment consultants in Canada and operations manager in Europe.

Are these the Rules to follow?

1) Some would pointed out that it is a scam since the scammers did not wish to speak over the phone. It is important to note that some scammers would go to the extent to speak with you on the phone, just to convince you. Never use phone call as a judgement of whether it is a scam or not.

2) Some may also say that if the offer is from country A and your advanced payment is to an account in country B, then it is probably a scam. However, it is not a spam if both the offer and advanced payment is the same country, right? WRONG! It is possible for the scam artist to have counterparts in other countries, including the country which the scam story is played. Try to search among hotscams.com articles. Never use payment location as a judgement of whether it is a scam or not.

How do you know when there is a scam?

1) If the offer sounds too good to be true, it is likely to be a scam. You can easily find so many emails and articles about good, scam offers in hotscams.com

2) When an unsolicited offers includes asking for your personal particulars to be sent to a free email address, it smells full of scam.

3) If the offer did not come from any established job agency. (NOTE: please check, call and email back to the job agency as some scammers will use fake email address).

4) Do not rush to pay any "advanced fees" just after 1 or 2 emails. Try to contact the "agent" and find out their background. Make them provide proper credentials before you proceed.

In any case, we still believe that para 1) is still the best check. Most people that try to dig gold opportunities on the internet usually get their hands burnt badly. In fact, the internet is full of traps for the newbies, and is a Gold Mine only to those who are experienced when used legally.