School Scam Exposed after WSA tip off

A tip-off to XPRESS newspaper by WhichSchoolAdvisor.com has revealed a new scam in the UAE with con men targeting teachers by offering them jobs in a non-existent school in Abu Dhabi.

The fraudsters created a fake website for a bogus "Howard International School" by stealing pictures and content from another school in the UAE.

WhichSchoolAdvisor.com was first made aware of the scam in comments on our Best Schools in Abu Dhabi page, with those contacted by the school asking where it was in our listings.

WhichSchoolAdvisor.com contacted ADEC to be told the school did not exist. At this point we informed our readers, and tipped off reporters at UAE newspaper XPRESS to follow up on the story.

According to XPRESS the fake website first stated the school was located in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, but later changed the address to Al Wathba. Neither of this is true.

The school has posted a number of vacancies for teaching and administrative jobs, and candidates are invited to apply online and pay $1,250 (Dh4,587) upfront towards the visa processing fee.

According to XPRESS the ploy works like this: Once the online application is submitted, the bogus school’s “HR manager” Adolph Carlson contacts the candidates who are asked to fill in a questionnaire.

Within a day or two, an offer of appointment is emailed, asking them to contact a cellphone number purportedly belonging to Arabian Travel and Tours to process their work visa. At the travel agency, job aspirants are asked to pay $1,250. They are told it would be reimbursed upon reaching Abu Dhabi.

Nigerian Nassiba Charcharia told XPRESS she got a job offer via email from Dr. Adolph Carlson who identified himself as the school’s HR manager although she had never applied for a job there. “I was asked to contact Arabian Travel and Tours based in Abu Dhabi and make the payment,” Charcharia recalled.

XPRESS then tried contacting Dr Adolph Carlson on the mobile number listed on the website but there was no response.

A call made to the cellphone number supposedly belonging to the Abu Dhabi-based Arabian Tours and Travels was answered by a man who spoke with an African accent and identified himself as Abdul Mohammad.

He dodged XPRESS's questions about the travel agency’s office location but said he has processed work permits for several teachers recruited by Howard school.

“We have been working with Howard for the last seven to eight months. We have already processed visas for 16 teachers. I cannot give our office address as we are relocating to JLT in Dubai,” he said.

A job aspirant said he suspected the travel agency was part of the racket.

For the full XPRESS report, go here.