My dear job seekers, we just have to be extra careful and cautious this period as scammers have devised new and improved means of carrying out their trade.
I just got home from a semi successful job search where I was given a one kind offer, to work for sometime without pay with the option of full staffing if I impress.
I had barely taken off my clothes when my phone rang and behold it was a strange number. You know how job seekers always ensure not to miss any call as it might turn out to be that Baba God has just picked up
On answering the call, the caller introduced himself as Mr. Patrick from FUTO admin and asked if I was so so and so, calling my full names, even the ones my ancestors called me and the ones my grandchildren will still call me. He was so caring, asked about my welfare and enquired if I had gotten a job. When I answered in the negative, he then told me that he was calling about an opening in the NERC (Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission), that there was a recent verification of certificates there and it was discovered that some of the workers had fake certificates and so were sacked. He went further to say that the agency needed qualified people to replace them and reached out to the university to provide them with 3 engineers and that was how my name came up, as I was referred from my department.
Now this is the funny part and what got me interested in the first place, to show that more often than not, these scammers are those who know you very well:
1. I graduated from FUTO in 2014 and I have applied for my transcript since March and despite having made the online payment, I’ve still not gotten my transcript till date. I thought the guy was calling about my transcript. FUTO sha
2. I have been called from the university more than once concerning an opening and advised to apply, though that was for IT when I was still a student there and it was from my course adviser.
3. I was one of the best students in my set and when I heard job offer, I was thinking of a graduate assistant position. See me see hope
Long story short, after all his well prepared speech, he told me to call one Dr. Ezenwa, the P.R.O of NERC about the job details and sent me his number. Thank God I’m already well educated on scam 101 even to scam 510 that is 4 units, so I knew what to expect before calling the number.
Upon calling, the Dr. Ezenwa asked my full name. Immediately he heard an Igbo name, he switched to Igbo. In my mind, I just laughed. On his own part, he told me a touching story of how most people come into the civil service with fake results and asked if my results were original. He then told me that the opening was at Abuja and that interview was on Friday, that Mr. Patrick had already wasted time in bringing the right candidates and there was no time to waste. He asked if I had a place to sleep in Abuja, I replied in the positive. Na here wahala come start.
He told me that first, I’d need to buy an indigene form the local council for #5,000 and then another replacement form from the NERC office for #15,000, summing up to 20k; that he will then send me his email address after this for me to forward my CV. He asked me to call my contact in Abuja to find a way to make the payment before Wednesday so that everything would be settled before the interview on Friday. That if my contact cannot afford it, he will send his account number and I’d make the payment into the account, but I’d add #1,500 as a sort of logistics fee for his boy that will be running around to make the payments. I simply told him OK and ended the call.
This is a call to everyone to shine their eyes, these boys are not smiling. I’m also calling on FUTO to investigate these scammers impersonating the school and trying to drag the name of the school to the mud. These are the numbers of the mofos that wanted to try their luck on me
08060376476- Mr. Patrick
09080035823- Dr. Fred Ezenwa P.R.O. NERC
On a lighter note sha, abeg anybody wey get free #21,500 wey em no dey use abeg help me. I need to settle these scammers. Abeg make una help me
Exactly
Hummn.. We really need to be careful.