Would-be sailors all at sea in jobs scam
By Jia Feishang |
January 16, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
AUTHORITIES in Baoshan District are investigating an alleged scam that tricked 82 job seekers, as well as a job placement agency.
A man who claimed his brother was close to the director of the Shanghai Maritime Bureau had offered jobs as sailors.
The suspect surnamed Xuan, 53, asked the job agency to find a batch of sailors for him at the end of last year, saying the bureau was recruiting mariners and that his brother, who was director of Jiading Police, had good relations with its head. Xuan promised a monthly salary of 4,500 yuan (US$659).
Shen, owner of the job agency in Gucun Village, said he had known Xuan since June and they had become good friends. Shen said he had never doubted Xuan's honesty and was attracted by the "big deal."
Shen got together a total of 82 candidates.
Xuan is alleged to have collected fees of 2,000 yuan from each.
But from then, Shen was unable to get in contact with Xuan and began to realize it was a fraud and called the police. The district's labor monitoring team has also joined the investigation.
One victim, Yang, went to Shen to ask his money back after being told the sailor job was not available, only to learn that 81 others had also been tricked.
Yang said he had always dreamed of being a sailor, and paid the 2,000 yuan without hesitation when he knew about the opportunity.
"I was too excited to think," a report in the Shanghai Evening Post on Thursday quoted him as saying.
The job agency has agreed to pay a portion of the fees back to the victims, the newspaper report said.
A man who claimed his brother was close to the director of the Shanghai Maritime Bureau had offered jobs as sailors.
The suspect surnamed Xuan, 53, asked the job agency to find a batch of sailors for him at the end of last year, saying the bureau was recruiting mariners and that his brother, who was director of Jiading Police, had good relations with its head. Xuan promised a monthly salary of 4,500 yuan (US$659).
Shen, owner of the job agency in Gucun Village, said he had known Xuan since June and they had become good friends. Shen said he had never doubted Xuan's honesty and was attracted by the "big deal."
Shen got together a total of 82 candidates.
Xuan is alleged to have collected fees of 2,000 yuan from each.
But from then, Shen was unable to get in contact with Xuan and began to realize it was a fraud and called the police. The district's labor monitoring team has also joined the investigation.
One victim, Yang, went to Shen to ask his money back after being told the sailor job was not available, only to learn that 81 others had also been tricked.
Yang said he had always dreamed of being a sailor, and paid the 2,000 yuan without hesitation when he knew about the opportunity.
"I was too excited to think," a report in the Shanghai Evening Post on Thursday quoted him as saying.
The job agency has agreed to pay a portion of the fees back to the victims, the newspaper report said.
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