How to Avoid Employment Scams

I just received an email from someone who was investigating whether he should send money and a copy of his passport to an organization to process his permit to work in Canada. This one was pretty good, as scams go. They had him fill out several lengthy questionnaires to assess his qualifications, before they asked for a wire transfer, so they could process the paperwork. In fact, they told him he couldn't get hired in Canada without the appropriate work permit and an attorney to process it.

The problem with scams, especially detailed ones, is that the information can be partly true and it's easy to get taken advantage of. Yes, you do need a work permit to work in Canada. However, as the Canadian Government advised in a fraud alert about this very same scam, "Valid documents can only be obtained through the Canadian High Commission or embassy in your country and Visa fees can only be processed through the High Commission or the local Canadian Consulate." There is information on how to apply for a temporary work permit and how to apply as a permanent resident on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada web site.

Here's more on how to avoid employment scams, how to evaluate listings, and how to avoid bad companies.

Also, be sure to do what the person who wrote to me did - thoroughly investigate the company before you send money. You'll end up saving your money and avoiding a scam.