August (2005) reports:

• A Danish Chief Engineer was offered a job for US $ 8.000/month, and received a message, exactly copy of what I received before. Only ship name was different: MV Light.
  
  
• An other offer was sent to an American HR (Human Resources = Personnel Development) consultant. From the American they asked for USD 500 in exchange for US $ 120.000/year. The employer would be Marine Dredging Nigeria Ltd, same as the next one.
  
  
• An Indian offshore oil rig control and instrumentation engineer was offered employment with Marine Dredging Nigeria Ltd as Instrument Technician for USD 10.000/month. Now the employer's name has been changed as has the contact person, who in this (Indian) case was Mr John Wobo - still with Slok Travel. This offer had a new twist: First the employee pays the visa fee and later employer will reimburse him. Why make it so complicated?

September report:

• A Canadian Chief Officer received a job offer on a Liberian flag Chemical Tanker, MV Anabel, trading from Port Harcourt to Germany and/or South Africa, still own by Avon Shipping Lines. There's no ship named "Anabel" registered under Liberian flag. Now no more immigration fee, this time they ask for a processing fee, i.e. 10% of first months salary!
  
  This Chief Officer did not have chemical endorsement. The job offer was signed by Mr Martin Moore at Synergy Recruitment Inc, Toronto, Canada. There is a company with a website named "Synergy" Consulting but that is not a recruiting agent, it's a web consulting company (synergyconsulting.zzn.com/)

October report:

• A Polish Naval Architect received about middle of Oct. a job offer in the USA with Deckline Boats Inc, owned by "the Dixon family", in Illinois. This was a proper job description but an American shore job with leave rotation (3 months on and 2 weeks off!) plus expatriate accommodation.
  
  The recruiting agent was still the same; Woodworth Recruitment and the offer signed by Anthony Flynn. The offered salary USD 8.000/Month.
  
  The visa and work permit fee (US green card) was USD 400 payable to the same man as before; MR Emeka Okechukwu in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, by Western Union Transfer. Slok Travel Agency still handling all documents, the letter still signed by John Wobo. Now the travel Agency says they have a very good working relation ship with the US State Department [I wonder what the State Department would say to that?].
  
  This Naval Architect was told his travel documents, i.e. Visa and Work permit would come to him via US Embassy in Warsaw, Poland. BUT he was not to contact the Embassy in advance. (Just send the money, please!)
  
  He was also informed by Slok Travel that I have been ordered by the Seamen's Association in London (?) to remove (close) this page 4 months ago, i.e. one month before it was first published!

November report:

• A British Ship Captain was offered employment as (Company) Security Officer (!) with Avon Shipping Lines in Nigeria. This was a shore job (in the office) in Port Harcourt, salary only USD 6.000/month, with same leave rotation as other offers. 10% of first month's salary as fee for travel and visa documents.
  
  
• The employer still said to have 97 vessels with 4 LNG tankers on order under the US Jones Act, for delivery in 2006/2010 from Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard. The US Jones Act is from 1920 and requires American ownership and American Building of commercial shipping in US National waters (i.e. a domestic US law). Hardly applicable to (foreign) Nigerian ship owner.
  
  On the Kvaerner Shipyard website there is no order list, so I haven't been able to find out (yet) if Avon Shipping really has ordered ships from there or not.

December 2005 reports:

• A new target: Asian recruiting agent. The agency was offered placement of a deck and engine crew on a Liberian flag steam powered chemical tanker, product tanker, owned by Avon Shipping Lines in Nigeria. Salaries USD 1.300 - 1.500 per month, three months on, three months off with leave pay. A one year contract with free trip home to Asia after three months and the last three months of the contract period on vacation.
  
  The recruiting agent was asked for an advance fee of USD 350/head, total ten people (USD 50 per head to be returned to the Asian recruiting agent as handling fee). The crew wasn't asked for chemical endorsements or medical certificates, neither was any visa required. Everything was said to be arranged by the representative in Port Harcourt: Tapinok Consulting Nigeria Ltd. A new representative but same contact person as before: Mr Emeka Okechukwu.
  
  This could be the same chemical tanker the Canadian Chief Officer was offered before, only new name: MV Anable; 42.000 DWT, 300.000 bbl, and 300 ft wide ship - somehow the ship particulars doesn't seem to fit. Cargo and ballast tanks said to be epoxy covered. Fixed gun clean washing system in chemical cargo tanks (?). No ship name either MV Anable or MV Enable can be found in the ITU register.
  
  It's one thing to offer a private seafarer a fake job, he's standing to lose some money only. When a recruiting agent is offered a deal like this it's a different matter. He is risking his reputation, which is his "bread and butter".
  
  
• Other reports in December only confirmed earlier details. Synergy Consulting was still in Dec. used as recruiting agent in a few cases.

January 2006:

• No changes in January. Still same recruiting agent (Woodworth Recruitment), same employer (Avon Shipping Lines) and same Nigerian representative (Slok Travel Agency).

End of February I received two job offers:

• From "Elf Petroleum" (Elf Aquitaine), with an yahoo.com email address. The message was signed by MR Jack Daniels, with an address in London, UK, and tel.no: ++447023050984. The job locations where also in West Africa.
  
  The real Elf Petroleum Company - biggest oil petroleum company in France - do have operations in UK and controls several oil concessions in Nigeria. The company is owned by and a member of the Total Group, the French national oil company; the French government being a minority shareholder.
  
  
• From "Shell Petroleum Development Company", also with yahoo.com email and an address in UK. This was "signed" by Proffessor (!) Clifford Lewis with tel.no: ++447024073733. These jobs where for the "Soku Gas Project" in Nigeria. This is a scam going on since early 2005, see Expat Engineer.
  
  
• It's unlikely two job offers like this come during the same week, one on a Saturday. An email account opened in UK usually have an UK address: yahoo.co.uk, isn't that so? And not even offshore recruiting companies' offices work on Saturdays.
  
  I also noticed the five first numbers in the two telephone numbers were identical. There is strong reason to be suspicious. If anybody else have received any of this kind, please tell me.
  
  
• During February "wrecruitment", Slok Travel, and "Synergy Consulting" where still in use. MV Hamm was also offered, same as the Nigerian dredging company.

June 2006 reports:

Middle of June I received a job offer from oceanic_shipping_link@yahoo.co.uk ("Oceanic Link Shipping Line"). The company is said to be located worldwide (!). Further said:

QUOTE:
2 new cargo ships
2 new vessels SHIP
3 new Passengers ship
Country of Origin of Ships (built in .. ?) UK but registered in Asia, Europe and other "countinents"
UNQUOTE

Basic salaries in USD per month; for instance Captain $ 7.000, AB $ 5.000 (!) and Steward $ 4.600. The two latter ones I would say are a bit over the normal. Teacher $ 4.000, also working on the ship (!).

Address:45 West Street Readin RgI !tz London UK
Website: www.oceanicshippinglink.sm.biz/, which is an UK free server owned by SINet UK Dedicated Hosting. The page "Vacancies" is a copy of the email letter (or vice-versa). Applications to be sent to Placement Consultant Collins George in Ireland, tel. +447024082239, which I understand is an UK number.

The email doesn't mention anything about an advance fee but on the website home page it's clearly stated: Placement fee must be paid before anything commences. It's highly irregular a shipowner charges an advance fee before employment.

Basically same text - different design - can be found on: www.oceaniclinkshipping.biz.ly/ ".ly" is an extension for Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (= Libya) but the website is on an American free server owned by Mega Web Services (a United Online company). Return to first page "Container Shipping"

End of June I received another job offer with almost identical text from: "First Choice Link Shipping Link", employments_firstchoiceshipping@hotmail.com - with a couple of more ships.
Address: First Choice Shipping Line
115 Habourg Street Mark Alice Avenue
London United kingdom
Tel: +44702407475

No website given. As both of above came to my old email box, same as the very first Nigerian money scam offer, I wouldn't hesitate to call both of these "job scams" as well. Both companies are using either Yahoo or Hotmail free email services, which isn't what European shipowners do.
Return to first page

July to August: In August Avon Shipping Lines tried to buy a medium size yacht from American owners. The down payment check bounced (!).

September 2006 report:
In September I received a fresh employment scam letter, a copy below: [the layout is not exactly like the letter I received, printing errors are not corrected]

QUOTE:
From : nigerian national <nigerianpetroleumcooperation007@yahoo.com>
Reply-To : nigerianpetroleumcooperation@yahoo.com
Sent : Saturday, September 16,  9:52 PM
To : [This message was sent to over twenty other people - I haven't listed them here, for their own protection]
Subject : FOB OFFER ["FOB" means free onboard in connection with export]

THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION
ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT
GLASS HOUSE ABUJA
TEL: 234-8034633581
EMAIL:webmaster@nigerianpetroleumcooperation.zzn.com,
info@nigerianpetroleumcooperation.zzn.com

WE ARE HAPPY TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR NAME HAS BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR EMPLOYMENT IN THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR OF THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION. IT WAS SHORTLISTED AFTER RANDOMELY SELECTING  NAMES WHICH WAS SUBMITTED TO US BY OUR AGENTS OVER THE INTERNET. AFTER GOING THROUGH YOUR CURRICULLUM VITAE, WE FOUND OUT THAT YOU ARE RIGHTLY QUALIFIED FOR THE JOB.

PLEASE YOU ARE KINDLY ADVISED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENT OF OUR COMPANY FOR MORE DETAILS.

YOU ARE ENTITLED TO AN ACCOMODATION IN ANY OF YOUR CHOICED HOTEL WITHING YOUR AREA OF DUTY AND A CHOICED CAR WITH A DRIVER. YOU ARE EQUALLY ENTITLED TO AN ANNUAL SALARY OF $2.4M INCLUDING A YEARLY LEAVE OF ONE MONTH TO ANY COUNTRY OF YOUR CHOICE. ALL DOCUMENTS CONCERNING THIS WILL BE FORWARDED TO YOU ON RECEIVAL OF YOUR RETURN MAIL.

YOU HAVE THE NEXT 7 DAYS TO RESPOND TO THIS JOB OFFER. ALL INTERNALTIONAL LOGISTICS WILL BE WELL TAKEN CARE OF BY THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION.

PLEASE YOU ARE KINDLY ADVISED TO SEND YOUR DETAILS TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER OF THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM COOPERATION ON THE ADDRESS BELOW:

NAME:   ENGR. HARRY BROWNING
EMAIL ADDRESS: nigerianpetroleumcooperation@yahoo.com
TEL: 234-8034633581 END QUOTE

Comments:
In the address at the top, the email is given as coming from: zzn.com, which is a free email service provider in US. In the email itself the sender is given as @yahoo.com.

The "Organization" uses Cooperation, clearly in the purpose to confuse. If somebody reads fast or may be little bit carelessly it could be read as either "Corporation" or "Cooperative". Cooperation is not a legal term for any business unit.

The email used for me is the same as what all the earlier Nigerian money scam letters have been using. That email address is not available on the Internet (see above, top job offer example). No recruiting agent or employer selects names by random to send "job offers" to short listed candidates.

With this I'm offered a yearly salary of 2.4 million USD, which translates into USD 200.000 per month. This is clearly too good to be true. But what job am I offered ?
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November
Early November I again received a new employment scam letter from Premier Oil Plc (UK)

From : Monica Jeniffer <premieroilsuk03@rediffmail.com>
Sent : Saturday, November 11, 2006 11:50 AM
To : (DELETED)
Subject : URGENT JOB VACANCIES

Premier Oil Plc
23 Lower Belgrave Street
SW1W 0NR, London
Tel: +44 (0) 703 194 0082
Fax: +44 (0) 707 231 9987
Re: Premier Oil Limited Job Vacancies
To Whom It May Concern
Job Offer
- We are a reputable Oil and Gas firm in United Kingdom with different offices around UK . As a result of growth and expansion, we require the services of intelligent honest, resourceful and self driven individuals to fill vacant positions in our newly instigated office in London.
Job Location
- London
Job Offer Type
- Permanent Jobs Only
Possible Date of Resumption
- Interested Applicants must be willing to relocate to United Kingdom latest December / January 2006.
Method of Application
- Interested Applicants that are interested to work with this company in London are advised to send a copy of their resume (CV) to out recruitment section via email to:

Email: premieroilplc_jobs@excite.com
Enquiries: +44 (0) 703 194 0082
Only qualified candidates will be contacted (via email only) with current job placements that match their requirements as provided on their resume (CV).
Thanks
Mr. James Coker Jr.
Human Resource Manager
London
END QUOTE

Comments to this:

• e-mail address: rediffmail.com is an Indian free e-mail service. Highly irregular a British employer would use this.
  
• My e-mail address is deleted, but these people still use the same one all the Nigerians have used for some 5 years for their scam mail.
  
• E-mail again sent on a Saturday.
  
• To work in a London office must have European Union work permit, which they don't ask for.
  
• This letter is very clever. Those persons who already have sent their résumé (C.V.), will be more willing to pay in advance when they are "chosen".

Return to Nigerian Money Scam Example

At end of January 2007 I received the following offer:
QUOTE:
From : bintulu port <bintuluport@yahoo.com>
Sent : Saturday, January 27, 2007 1:46 PM
To : (address deleted)
Subject : port offer

TO:HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER/ CREW MANAGER

WE ARE PORT OPERATOR/PORT MANAGEMENT BASED IN MALAYSIA AND AUSTRALIA. DUE TO SHORTAGE OF HUMAN CAPITAL AT OUR PORTS IN MALAYSIA AND AUSTRALIA, THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT OUR PORTS BOTH IN MALAYSIA AND AUSTRALIA.
FOR ALL THE POSITIONS MENTIONED BELOW, WE NEED TWO YEARS MINIMUM EXPERIENCE.
(1) CRANE OPERATOR ( 5 PERSONS)
(2) BARGE MASTER (3 VACANCY)
(3) OPERATION EXECUTIVE(CREWING DIVISION)
(4)CATERER(3PERSONS)
(5)PUMPMAN
(6)MARINE DIESEL MECHANIC( FOR OUR SHIPYARD, AND SHIP REPAIR)
(7)MARINE ENGINEER( FOR SHIP BUILDING AND ESTIMATE THE COST )
(8)WELDER( 4PERSONS)
(9)TECHNICAL MANAGER( CAPTAIN WITH MINIMUM OF 6YRS EXP. BASE ON PORT)
(10) ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT( MUST KNOW HOW TO USE COMPUTER AND DATA STORAGE)
(11)PROJECT MANAGER/ENGINEERS/2PERSON

INTERESTED  CANDIDATES SHOULD SUBMIT HIS OR HER CV/RESUMES BY ATTACHING IT TO OUR MAIL.

  DEWI YUDO (HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES/RECRUITMENT)END QUOTE

Comments : As e-mail again is at yahoo and the message is sent on a Saturday with no address or telephone mentioned, plus it came again to the same old box where all scam letters have come, I don't hesitate to make this a scam too.

Return to Page 1.

And a second fake offer on January 2007:

I received also a fishing letter, clearly intended to collect CVs / résumés from unsuspecting seamen. It was sent from:
heniking@aim.com with Subject: Marine Job Offer.

QUOTE: Dear Seaman,
We are specialist in HR consultation, offering expert personnel management support to Small, Medium and Large businesses.

We are conducting a retained, executive search on behalf of a client of ours to recruit seamen to work on board one of their vessels. Would be delighted to speak with you at your earliest convenience.

                               Send your cv/resume for possible consideration for the offered job with our email address;  applications_globalsourcehr@yahoo.com

                            Thank you for your attention as we look forward to your positive confirmation of your interest.

                            Regards,
Clara John
Recruitment Officer
Global Source HR
672 Bairdmore Blvd.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba R3T 5T6 Canada .
Tell: 512-5330211
Fax: 512-402-8442

Executive search is when a company is searching for a new CEO (Chief Executive Officer) or General Manager - not a seaman. I don't think this is sent by the Nigerians, it's written in a completely different style.

  I call it a fishing letter because they don't offer any specific job or position - not even a specific kind of ship - they only want to collect information about people. I wouldn't send anything.

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In February a new scam letter was send to some Indian Engineers, the copy is below - it was sent by:

QUOTE:
NIGERIAN LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS,
Plot 23, Engineering Close,
P.O.Box 2348,
Victoria Island,
Lagos, Nigeria.

Job Ref: NLNG/GFP/NIG112-07

Date: 09/02/07 (i.e. Feb. 09, 2007 - added by Donpedro)

ATTENTION: (name deleted)

DESIGNATION: Senior Service Engineer

SALARY:
USD 21,920.00(Twenty-one Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty Dollars only) monthly/take-home (After tax), Sterling or Euros equivalent depending on home country and currency preference.

JOB LOCATION:
In the oil rich Niger Delta region of Nigeria.
START DATE:
You shall be expected to resume on site on the 21st of MARCH 2007.

Herein, you have been forwarded employers? prototype of contract terms and conditions via e-mail (Attached) for your perusal and digest; on your satisfaction and agreement with terms and response, you shall be expected to start your job processes and will be sent hard copy of contract document through the DHL courier services for endorsement via your Local Representative. Agreements will also be signed during the job processes.

JOB PROCEEDING/REQUIREMENT:
All employees successfully screened and recruited for the NLNG"GAS FLARING PROJECT" (And not presently possessing a valid Nigerian Residence and Work Permits Clearance Papers) shall be expected to personally incur all expenses as shall be related to the processing, procurement and acquisition of their necessary permits clearance papers with the Nigerian Immigration Services and shall be duly reimbursed and will be substantiated with receipts and the employer will reimburse the employee not later than Five (5) working days after submission of employee?s expense report and receipts.

You shall be required to furnish us with your valid Nigeria residence and work permits papers on or before the 24th of FEBRUARY, 2007 as a proof of readiness to join the NLNG project team in the due time as stipulated above for your job resumption with the NLNG in Nigeria and also to enable you receive your first monthly salary including your due entitlements/emoluments prior to your departure for services with the NLNG in Nigeria

However, for expatriate services employees who do not presently posses their valid Nigeria residence and Work Permits papers, they are to make contact with the address given below for directives and assistance on the acquisition and procurement of their valid residence and work permits papers with the Nigerian Immigration Services here in Nigeria.

NIGERIAN IMMIGRATION SERVICES
2^nd FLOOR, FED. SECRETARIAT COMPLEX,
OWERRI, IMO STATE,
NIGERIA.
E-Mail: nigerian-immigration@myway.com
Tel: +234 805 729 90 58
Fax: +234-8055-943-77
Contact Person: DR. JOHN ADENUGA (See Dr Adenuga above)
Designation: HEAD OF VISA/PERMITS OPERATIONS.

Note that all Nigerian based employees' are to report personally to our office with identification materials for signing and collection of hard copy of their contract documents. This is in line with the expatriate statuary law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in compliance with the U.N. Terrorism Act. Find attached for other necessary related details of job.

Congratulations on your success

MRS. WUMI OSIFOR
HEAD, EXP. EMPLOYEE RELATIONS
NLNG, NIGERIA
CC: General Manager,
Expatriate Technical Support Services,
NLNG, Nigeria
END QUOTE

Comments: The letter offers "Sterling or Euro" depending on home country, even it's sent to an Indian national. Dr John Adenuga is a well used name (fake ?), it's been in use in scam letters since 2001, see above and with the same "immigration" e-mail address.

The salary, close to USD 22.000 per month, is way over board. It could be within limits for an experienced expatriate supervisor, considering the high risk from Nigerian militants operating in the Nigerian oil fields. But in such case the position and the person's responsibilities would be well defined.

Furthermore, the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd is a real company with real jobs available, there is a warning against scam on their website. In the scam letter the "Ltd" has been dropped. Return to page 1