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If the offer sounds too good to be true… beware, i t could be a scam.

Many people in Israel are being cheated with job offers and lotteries that do not exist. Sometimes, the emails appear to come from official organisations, such as the National Lottery. Stop and think before you part with your money, your passport, your personal details or your current job.

Many scams may appear to come from the UK, but the criminals behind the scam are actually based in other countries.

It is likely to be a scam if:

You receive an offer of a job about which you have no prior knowledge
You receive an offer by email
You are asked for your bank account details by email or phone
You are offered cash in exchange for bank account details
You are told you have won a lottery, but you have not bought a ticket.

If you receive a scam email:

Do not pay any money
Do not have any further contact with the originators of the email - these people are professional criminals and their aim is to exploit you and take your money and/or your personal details.

If you have been cheated because of a job or lottery scam:

Report it to the Israeli police authorities.
his is an international crime - investigations must be taken forward by the Israeli police, CBI and Interpol. The British Embassy has no jurisdiction to investigate or take out criminal prosecutions in Israel.

How to find out if a UK company is genuine:

Some job scams can be very clever. Check the company's details very carefully.

Genuine UK company websites may be provided, but the contact email addresses may be false. A genuine company name may be given, but the address will be wrong. For example: genuine website - www.ukvisas.gov.uk. False contact details - ukvisas@hotmail.co.uk

Genuine UK companies are officially registered and can be checked by logging on to www.companieshouse.gov.uk
Phone the company in the UK if you are approached about a UK job
Genuine UK companies do not give a mobile number for contact details. Request a landline number
UK company addresses can be checked by logging on to: www.upmystreet.com.uk
Most genuine UK companies do not use a hotmail or yahoo type email account.

Job offers from the UK Government:

The UK Government, including UK Trade and Investment, does not send unsolicited emails with job offers - either direct or through agents.
Government vacancies are advertised on official websites in the UK: www.careers-civilservice.gov.uk.

Research UK jobs and terms and conditions of employment:

Think about:

The credibility of the job offer you have received.
Are the salary and benefits offered realistic? For example, for jobs in the hospitality sector, a monthly salary of £4,000 plus benefits of free car, free health insurance, free accommodation, free flights for you and your family, plus generous leave entitlements etc are simply not credible.
The recruitment procedure.
Genuine UK companies normally have a rigorous recruitment procedure, including a face-to-face interview. They would not usually offer a job by email;
How you were contacted by the UK company.
For example, if you met an employee in an internet chat room who then made you a job offer, this is very likely to be a scam.

Visa fees:

Visa application forms are free of charge. Information and guidance on application procedures are published on www.ukvisas.gov.uk and www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk
The UK Government does not provide or charge for "additional services" such as travel insurance, health screening checks, police checks, security checks etc.

Lottery scams:

Lottery scam emails usually ask the "winner" to pay a large sum of money (usually several hundred pounds) for payment of a fee or other charges. This is a scam, designed to get your money. Please ignore such emails and do not respond to them.

All genuine UK lotteries are registered and have websites
If you did not buy a ticket, you cannot win a lottery
UK lotteries do not email winners or refer to amounts won
Further advice on lottery-related frauds is available from the Gambling Commission: log on to www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk.

Useful Websites

The following sites provide further information on Internet security and current scams.

UK National Lottery:
http://www.national-lottery.co.uk/player/information.do?info=commonscams

Get Safe Online:
http://www.getsafeonline.org

Fraudwatch International:
http://www.fraudwatchinternational.com/internetfraud/lottery_operatives.htm

Anti-Phishing Working Group - Committed to wiping out Internet scams and fraud:
http://www.antiphishing.org/index.html

Consumer Direct, a telephone and online consumer advice service supported by the Department of Trade and Industry: http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/goods—service/scams/fs_u02.shtml

Home Office Identity Theft website:
http://www.identity—theft.org.uk

APACS - Association for Payment Clearing Services:
http://www.apacs.org.uk/payments_industry/payment_fraud_3.html

Please note, The British Embassy is not responsible for the content of the above websites.

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