This is a story of me being scammed when applying for a job and almost falling into another sophisticated scam.
Source: Duy Anh
Sharing from an “unemployed” person who is desperate for work: Some “red flag” phrases that job seekers should pay attention to when reading recruitment news: Telegram, freelance, translation job, simple, no time constraints, paid daily, weekly, etc…
Don’t scold me for being stupid, just keep it in your head because I myself am aware that I’m silly.
Red Flag Level 1 – Amateur
On Facebook groups about content and freelance translation, this recruitment motif is prevalent nowadays. First, a clone account will post either a job with low requirements or a job with an attractive salary to get attention, for example, the following JD:
Source: a Facebook group about freelance translators
Sounds tempting, right? Once they’ve grabbed your attention and prompted you to comment or message them for the job description and application details, their response is almost always the same: something like this:
There is only one script.
If you agree, they will guide you via Telegram, and after a while of discussion, they will ask you to pay about 160,000 to activate the account. So the lesson here is: No decent company will make you pay money to work. You work to earn money, not pay money to work.
Red Flag Level 2 – Organized
During a period of waiting for a job and feeling deeply disappointed in myself, I decided to work as a waiter at a coffee shop. In my desperation, I failed to scrutinize things carefully – even as my Foreign Trade University degree seemed destined to become a mouse pad. The job posting looked suspicious, with a flashy, unprofessional design. Still, I went ahead and applied.
They scheduled an interview and asked me to bring my CV and application. The first red flag appeared when they said I didn’t need to notarize my documents – they’d handle it for me for just 30,000 VND.
So, if something is too good, you should be suspicious. Buddha only exists in fairy tales, in real life, no one gives anything to anyone for free.
Too attractive but also feeling hesitant, I temporarily accept just because I hope to get an easy job. They then asked me to pay 600,000 VND for a uniform, claiming I’d secure the job by paying. Including other “fees,” the total came to 1.2 million. Rushed and eager to start working, I hastily called my mother. She hesitated at the high cost of the uniform but, out of love, agreed to help. The final red flag came when they demanded an additional 300,000 VND for a health check.
I paid but felt uneasy. Suspicion finally set in after I left, so I called the company’s headquarters to confirm. They told me there was no recruitment happening at the address I had visited. The next day, I returned to confront them.
They refunded me only 450,000 VND, citing a clause in their contract: after six hours, refunds would be reduced to 50%. Of course, the 300,000 VND for the health check had no receipt because it had supposedly been “sent to the hospital.” It was obvious there was no hospital involved. The scam center was bustling with students, likely all victims like me. When I called the city police to report the fraud, they calmly told me they couldn’t intervene for amounts under 4 million VND. I wondered how many students had been scammed that day alone – 1.2 million per person adds up quickly.
Well, I stormed into the scammer’s headquarters and was given a “special privilege” to go to the highest room, the 9th floor. She asked me why she wanted the money, wanted to explain that The Coffee House had many branches and they were franchising, I said I didn’t want to hear, don’t be so manipulative. She got mad and said she wasn’t manipulative
She deserved an Oscar for her well acting effort.
I compared this to a legitimate convenience store job I once had, where I was charged just 200,000 VND for a uniform due to losses—not fraud—and another store even waived the fee entirely. Charging 600,000 VND was absurd.
Determined to get justice, I went to the police station. But instead of help, I was met with judgment. The security guard asked how someone with a university degree could get scammed, and the officer told me to handle it myself. It was frustrating to see how little protection there was, especially when the scam center was only 1 km from the police station.
Red Flag Level 3 – Professional
After preparing the offering tray for the Kitchen Gods on the 23rd of December, I received a call from a large company that had received my CV, informing me that I had been recruited for the Content Marketing position with a salary of 14-17 million/month and inviting me to attend the preliminary interview. I was surprised but then did some research. The email had the company name, the company logo, and three pdf files with the recruitment process, job description, red stamp with tax code, director’s signature, watermark of the company name on the files, in general, professional.
JD looks very complete and attractive
Looking back, I see that the name displayed on Gmail is “Cong” instead of the original company name.
That message made me realize something crucial—I hadn’t applied to this company in the first place.
Lesson learned: always keep a list of the companies you’ve applied to for easy tracking and to avoid confusion.
I reached out to the “HR” representative through Telegram (yes, Telegram again). She sent me this elaborate message:
“The preliminary round will take place tomorrow at 8:00 AM. Please join online 5-10 minutes early, and I will directly add you to the office on the Telegram app. All you need to do is join the chat group—no video call required.
The preliminary round will consist of two parts as follows:
Part 1: Complete the IQ test.
Part 2: Support the social security project.
The HR department collaborates with the sales department to incorporate the company’s social security project into the candidates’ evaluation. By participating in this project, the company can assess critical traits such as responsibility, attitude, thinking, and work ethic. The project is one of the company’s flagship initiatives, designed to bring positive change to society. Staff will guide and assist candidates throughout the process to ensure smooth participation.
Note: The preliminary round will evaluate working style, responsibility, and attitude—it will not assess professional skills or prior work experience. The written test results will determine the next step in the interview process.
Please review the information carefully to ensure tomorrow’s preliminary round goes smoothly.”
My message to the professional “HR executive”
One of the biggest lessons I learned was to never overlook the red flags of this “blue app” in recruitment. Telegram’s ability to delete all messages from both sides with just one click makes it a perfect tool for scammers to erase evidence and avoid investigation.
Initially, I was excited to learn more about the company. I eagerly browsed their Facebook fan page and website. But something felt off—I couldn’t find the position listed on their official site. That should have been a wake-up call, but my enthusiasm got the better of me, and I ignored the signs.
After an hour of searching, my boyfriend called me during lunch. When I told him about the job, he simply said: “On Telegram? If they ask for money, walk away.” His words hit me like a splash of cold water.
It dawned on me—I hadn’t even applied to this company. If my CV had somehow ended up in a recruitment app pool, they would have contacted me via the app’s official email system, not through my personal phone number.
Not wanting to delay verifying the situation, I searched for the company’s hotline. A man answered the call, confirming it was their official number. But when I asked if tuyendung@[company-name]-vietnam.com was their email, his response was a firm “No.”
At that moment, I realized how close I’d come to falling for the scam. As Taylor Swift would say, “I dodged a bullet but mistakenly thought it was the love of my life.” And all it took was a 20-second phone call, costing less than 5,000 VND, to uncover the truth.
Updated 13/03/2024
VTV24 recently published an article titled “Being a Victim of Fraud, but Becoming the Target of Criticism”. It’s worth reading to understand the importance of not blaming victims. The true wrongdoers are the scammers, exploiting the naivety and trust of others.
But let’s reflect on this: deceit breeds more deceit. As Machiavelli hinted, dishonesty may lead to short-term gains but ultimately creates more cunning adversaries and inevitable legal troubles. Why live a life of lies, cheating, and stealing? Small frauds escalate into bigger crimes, and eventually, the consequences catch up.
Conclusion
I’d like to share the lessons I’ve learned—paid for with my own hard-earned money—so no one else falls into the same traps:
- Making money is never easy. If a job seems too good to be true, it probably is.
2️. Avoid using Facebook as a job search platform. Instead, stick to reliable channels like LinkedIn, VietnamWorks, TopCV, JobsGo, or the company’s official website. Always research the company and read reviews before applying.
3️. Reputable companies never ask for upfront payments. If you’re unsure, only set aside enough for essentials like transportation—don’t give anyone a single penny otherwise.
4️. Trust your gut. Your intuition is often your best defense against scams.
5️. Talk to your friends and family. They can offer valuable perspectives and advice when considering job opportunities.
6️. Freelance jobs can be unpredictable. They’re not for the faint of heart, so be mentally prepared for challenges.
Finally, if you’re interested, check out my other articles about navigating the tricky world of work.
Be Real in a Fake World,
NARCY NGUYEN
