FRAUDULENT SHIPPING EMPLOYER

In this post, METO shares experience of seafarers with fraud shipping employers. This article creates awareness regarding job scam by fraudulent employer. NOTE: This post intention is not to defame any employers or shipping agents only target is to create awareness who is joining a ship or joining a new company.

Who creates scam job?

There are plenty Fake agents and company who is targeting only young seafarers who is craving for job, Scam jobs alert are agents fishing techniques, they always target audience of lower rank like cadets, AB, OS, Oiler. Plenty of Ads are posted on Facebook, Google every day. How will you know its a scam job? It is easy to identify whether it is a scam or not. These are some of the examples that we are sharing

1) They do not have their own domain mailing system, i.e., abcdshipping@gmail.com. In some cases they may have or may not have their own E-mail hosting and Website.

2) They do not have valid RPSL No for their company. Getting RPSL or any valid license is also no big deal in todays date, If you bribe you can buy anything. For Example There are 500+ shipping companies in India hardly few you can trust

3) They charge you hefty amount of money as service charge.

4) They dont answer, if your signing on is getting delay.

5) Contract letter doesnt comply with MLC regulations.

6) Flight charge is paid by you.

7) The behaviour gets very rude when you ask relevent questions.

8) Check reviews in Internet at least you will find one negative review of the employer, which means to step back. Nowadays you can buy anything in digital marketing starting from Facebook likes to 5-star reviews. They write positive reviews in sites like Glassdoor, Quora, Google map

9) Also, check their fleet list or to which company they are manning to.

Apart from these things seafarer cant even trust licensed RPSL companies. Getting RPSL is not a big deal in India, its all matter of money & paperwork. Recently one company registered in Ahmedabad visited engineering colleges in SOUTH INDIA, they gave fake presentations in colleges in the name of Merchant Navy. These companies do brainwash by showing attractive wages, living style, benefits in presentation & attract young crowd due to which market is getting flooded. In rural areas, people dont have much idea about the shipping industry so people get trapped easily. Many people have reported the conditions after joining such companies.

 How fraudulent employers hire candidates from non-maritime institute?

They visit engineering colleges & start with their attractive presentation telling sponsorship for joining Merchant Navy. They dupe by telling candidates have to pay training fee which also includes agents service charge.

For example: For ETO 6 lakhs (In which 1.5 to 2lakhs is fee for Pre Sea training for ETO which is worth & rest of the money goes to agents pocket in the name of Onboard Training ) They also tell money can be paid in installments & loan will be given for the same. (As per case study, Bank gives loan approval only for maritime institutes says bank manager which should be DG approved institute). So fraud agents or company merge their fake documents showing its a part of training & gets loan approval which is plus points for their next recruitment process. Once they receive their service charge their next step is to drag days by telling ship dint reach port, too many candidates waiting. If you do not go behind them, they will never give priority to you. Once sign-in details are confirmed, they charge you an extra amount for domestic flight & Non-Resident bank account(if you do not have). Finally, all your documentation process are done in airport itself & they board you. Once you are onboard, you are speechless, because ship may be small or scrap sometimes they board you in tug boat, barge, supply vessel to work. Unpaid wages, Unhygienic condition, Poor nutrition, Lack of Communication, Undesired Rank, Work Overtime, Sign Off delay, Basic Facilities like water, washroom may not be there.

Also read an article about :

missing candidate: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/city-sailor-goes-missing-from-ship-in-somalia/articleshow/62588124.cms

120 people cheated on scam job: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_I-3I_rBhg

 So think twice before opting any employer, A good employer takes care of his/her crew but the fraudulent employer never does.

There are 500+ RPSL shipping companies in India but trusted are very few.

Not only shipping, In Facebook group, you will find plenty of advertisement posts like Work Abroad, Cruise recruitment, Hotel jobs, Office jobs. With personal contact details, Once if you drop contact details they say for the VISA, PR(permanent Residency), DOCUMENTATION you need to pay their service charge. Never ever fall in such traps you will lose your hard earned money.

Best way to find a job: research about the company, use job portal, double-check before signing your contract.

If you sign a contract with genuine company, they take complete care of you starting from travel expense, lodging, documentation, visa, etc is paid by the company. If it is paid by you, then you can claim for reimbursement provided proper billing for proof.

Find below some METO recommended genuine job portals,

SEAJOBS: best job portal in india so far & its free

JOBSHIPS: the largest community of seafarers on facebook, and the most used platform across the globe

SEACAREER: Sea Career merged with Marine Jobs UK in 2014 to form the leading job board within the industry.

The Faststream Recruitment Group: was established in 1999 and is a global people specialist in Shipping, Maritime and Offshore Oil and Gas recruitment. 

CREWELL : has thousands of seamen visitors every day, they constantly monitor all new publications.

LINKEDIN : offcourse linkedin is genuime job portal where you get to know the employer very well

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