Fake agents dupe job seekers, says SLBFE chief

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) warned Sri Lankan job seekers in foreign countries not to be misled by fake job agents who advertise in newspapers promising lucrative jobs in Middle Eastern and non-Middle Eastern countries.

The Bureau statistics reveal that many individuals are also in the habit of advertising in newspapers on numerous jobs with lucrative remuneration. Chairman, SLBFe Kingsley Ranawaka told the Sunday Observer that action would be taken against persons who are advertising fake job vacancies in newspapers and also obtain money as an advance from innocent persons.

It is reported that a person at Kesbewa in Piliyandala had obtained over Rs. 30 lakhs from two women and a man promising jobs for their sons in England.

The Bureau Chairman said during the last two weeks over 15 persons were nabbed for obtaining money illegally from persons.

A 37-year-old woman from Kegalle was recently produced before the Magistrate for receiving Rs. 450,000 from three women promising jobs in Hongkong.

Meanwhile, the licence of a foreign job agency at Maradana in Colombo was cancelled by the Bureau for presenting a forged medical certificate of a woman who was also infected with AIDS.

Another bogus job agency which was operated in a building at People's Park, Colombo was raided by the Bureau investigating officials last week on a tip off given by a person who was also misled by the agent.

The SLBFE, therefore requested all foreign job seekers to consult the Bureau on the availability of jobs prior to paying money to the job agent.