Expert Info
on 28 May 2011
hi,i'm an electrician from the Philippines. I received an e-mail from Total Gas and Oil Company that i passed their requirements and asked for my updated resume/cv, i would really appreciate it if someone could give me a heads up regarding the legitemasy of the offer and regarding document processing because the letter indicates that the company will provide the services of an immigration attorney,i'm a bit confused because my credentials are w/ me and also my passport. and also how can i be sure that the person who contacted me is the real thing. i'll be waiting for your response..Thank you
You're right to be concerned about the legitimacy of job offers coming from Nigerian companies - especially when they're unsolicited. To confirm that you're not the victim of a 419 scam, the first thing you should do is contact you embassy and make sure the company does exist, and does have a branch in Nigeria. You can also ask them if they've had any other reports from potential expats saying that they've been offered a job by this corporation.
After you've confirmed that they do exist, attempt to contact someone via telephone and confirm that the mail you received is indeed from a legitimate employee. After this point, it is fine to send them an updated CV. That said, under no circumstance should you give your bank details or should you send money to the organisation. Furthermore, do not send them your passport info until you've negotiated a contract and signed.
Lastly, Nigerian companies bear the burden of organising work permits for their employees. So, if they tell you that once you secure your own permit you can start work, don't believe them.
Good Luck, keep us posted what happens!