Options4families job scam

DCFC79

Ourloulou wrote: »

The more people report this the better!!! I unfortunately even with my gut feeling fell for the scam and I'm now £44.00 worse off. I didn't think that a company claiming to help children and families would use people who are willing to help children and gain employment to obtain money and my personal details. I have reported this to police my bank, police action fraud online and I have contacted universal jobmatch. If this can happen through a government website where is safe?

You just need to think, if the email is requesting a copy of driving licence, passport and two address confirmations AND £44.00 for the DBS check then run a mile.

DCFC79

opp wrote: »

I've just had the exact same thing done to me as well. I applied for trainee councillor on the indeed website with option 4 families. A lady called donna emailed me stating they are interviewing on the 4th of February, and to reply with a date and time for them to confirm. Also on the email was a link to a DBS application form which I was advised to pay 44 pound and it would be refunded at the interview. I filled out the so called online DBS form and am concerned because whoever they are now have all my personal information down to my national insurance, address, full name and birth date, place of birth and nationality!!!


Can anyone advice me on what to do? They do not have my bank details nor money, but they do have all my personal information and this is concerning me. Is that still fraud as no money has been taken? what's the worse that can happen if they don't have my account information? I'm not sure what next steps to take or if I even need too! Any advice would be much appreciated.


I emailed them stating that I was uneasy with giving bank details over the phone due to identity fraud you can never be too careful, and is there any alternative way of payment. Within a few minutes the phone rang with a man who was very off asking how I was planning on paying and when I said well not over the internet he gave me a account name, number and sort code all sounding legit which help to reassure my doubts of a scam. He advised me to make the payment as soon as possible so the DBS was processed and cleared on time for my interview, this was also stated in the email sent before hand. He told me the DBS would come to my house and to bring it with me on the interview to get refunded. I found that strange as crb/dbs checks usually take weeks and my so called interview was the following week so I done a bit of research online and found out they are scam artists. Thank god I never gave them any money and also that they don't have my account information. However they do have all my other personal information

Post number 1 has some suggestions what you can do.

Jobseeeker

What a fake email. You need to be qualified to be a child therapist. You can't just read up on it and start working as one. This is a comment on the burnley express website:


The man on the left in this artical is a massive fraudster, going up and down the countrey frauding kids just out of college+Uni under the premise of jobs! He is interviewing for a company called Options 4 families and asks for money and bank details before your start date, when you turn up there is no company at that address and is then impossible to get ahold off.

He is Local to Burnley but he is working around the North west. His name is John Sothern but is going by the name John Parkes.

If you know anyone who is apparently starting work with this company please let them no ASAP to cancel any bank details they have and to get intouch with the local police station.

Derwent

Interesting......

https://mobile.twitter.com/counsellorhudds/status/421393739287134208

tough_times

You guys are lucky this guy took £65.00 from me for a so called enhanced DBS check. I was interviewed by John Parks (John Sothern) 13/12/13 INSIDE Birkenhead job centre. Later that evening i got a phone call saying i was successful and start date was 13/1/14 pending the DBS. Next day i received a email with a links to criminalrecordsservicesltd who he said they use to vet employee's. I paid John via bank transfer and a few weeks past and heard nothing from DBS. On the 2/1/14 i had a email saying i needed to forward a copy my ID to prove i was eligible to work in the UK. A week before start date another email saying that the starting date was now the 20th but not to worry as i would be getting paid from the original start date. This email was asking me for my bank details which would be forwarded onto the HR department. By now the 20th came and went another email delaying the start date and a request for bank details again. I have just read the Liverpool Echo which has brought me here to share my experience. I know my local MP has ordered an enquiry as to how this could have happen.

KevInChester

Took about 2 minutes of searching before I got my girlfriend to cancel the interview as it was an obvious scam.... I can see how people could be lured in though, she's not stupid in the slightest but she was almost fooled.

I am most annoyed and angry by the DWP and the Job Centre (as well as the scammer himself). He actually held his interviews in JCP, even a cursory look at his website would have alerted them to it being nothing but a scam.

Stressedatwork

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/suspected-conman-advertised-job-government-6636536

Stressedatwork

Ourloulou wrote: »

The more people report this the better!!! I unfortunately even with my gut feeling fell for the scam and I'm now £44.00 worse off. I didn't think that a company claiming to help children and families would use people who are willing to help children and gain employment to obtain money and my personal details. I have reported this to police my bank, police action fraud online and I have contacted universal jobmatch. If this can happen through a government website where is safe?

I did wonder how he was going to make money from all this, otherwise what was the point? now unfortunately I know

Stressedatwork

DCFC79 wrote: »

You just need to think, if the email is requesting a copy of driving licence, passport and two address confirmations AND £44.00 for the DBS check then run a mile.

I think this is usual practice as they need to see the confirmation of identity to perform a DBS and some employers do charge, so it is not that unusual TBH....

The person going through a DBS check (the ‘applicant’) - must give their employer original documents proving their identity. The documents needed will depend on the route the application takes. The applicant must try to provide documents from Route 1 first.

Route 1
The applicant must be able to show:

1 document from Group 1, below
2 further documents from either Group 1, or Group 2a or 2b, below
At least 1 of the documents must show the applicant’s current address.

Route 2
If the applicant doesn’t have any of the documents in Group 1, then they must be able to show:

1 document from Group 2a
2 further documents from either Group 2a or 2b
At least 1 of the documents must show the applicant’s current address. The organisation conducting their ID check must then also use an appropriate external ID validation service to check the application.

Route 3
Route 3 can only be used if it hasn’t been possible to process the application through Routes 1 or 2.

For Route 3, the applicant must be able to show:

a birth certificate issued after the time of birth (UK and Channel Islands)
1 document from Group 2a
3 further documents from Group 2a or 2b
At least 1 of the documents must show the applicant’s current address. If the applicant can’t provide these documents they may need to be fingerprinted.

Continuation sheets
You can download a DBS continuation sheet for additional information you can’t fit on your DBS application form.

Group 1: Primary identity documents
Document Notes
Passport Any current and valid passport
Biometric residence permit UK
Current driving licence – photo card with counterpart UK/Isle of Man/Channel Islands (full or provisional)
Birth certificate - issued at time of birth UK and Channel Islands – including those issued by UK authorities overseas, eg embassies, High Commissions and HM Forces
Group 2a: Trusted government documents
Document Notes
Current driving licence – old-style paper version UK
Current photo driving licence Non-UK licences must be valid for up to 12 months from the date the applicant entered the UK
Birth certificate – issued after time of birth UK and Channel Islands
Marriage/civil partnership certificate UK and Channel Islands
Adoption certificate UK and Channel Islands
HM Forces ID card UK
Firearms licence UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man
Group 2b: Financial and social history documents
Document Notes Issue date and validity
Mortgage statement UK or EEA Issued in last 12 months
Bank or building society statement UK and Channel Islands or EEA Issued in last 3 months
Bank or building society account opening confirmation letter UK Issued in last 3 months
Credit card statement UK or EEA Issued in last 3 months
Financial statement, eg pension or endowment UK Issued in last 12 months
P45 or P60 statement UK and Channel Islands Issued in last 12 months
Council Tax statement UK and Channel Islands Issued in last 12 months
Work permit or visa UK Valid up to expiry date
Letter of sponsorship from future employment provider Non-UK or non-EEA only - valid only for applicants residing outside of the UK at time of application Must still be valid
Utility bill UK – not mobile telephone bill Issued in last 3 months
Benefit statement, eg Child Benefit, Pension UK Issued in last 3 months
Central or local government, government agency, or local council document giving entitlement, eg from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Employment Service, HMRC UK and Channel Islands Issued in last 3 months
EU National ID card - Must still be valid
Cards carrying the PASS accreditation logo UK and Channel Islands Must still be valid
Letter from head teacher or college principal UK - for 16 to 19 year olds in full time education - only used in exceptional circumstances if other documents cannot be provided Must still be valid

Source: https://www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check/documents-the-applicant-must-provide-

datruth

I went to Liverpool for an interview for this so called counselling opportunity. I was little put off that the interview was Held in a pub but nevertheless I went because I needed a job and hoped for the best. This conman aka John said that they were changing offices and thats why he was conducting interviews there. When I arrived he was very chatty. This Low life even told me that he has children and had to stop counselling young people because it had affected him. I new something was wrong when I received an email saying that he needed me to forward him my details along with the DBS reference number. Even though I was hesitant I still made a payment of £65.60 and forwarded my details to him as it seemed genuine enough but my gut didnt feel right. I guess the fact have been unemployed for a while, I saw that this could be my opportunity and didnt want to be negative about it. I even went as far as moving to Liverpool in hopes of this job opportunity when the conman sent me a congratulation letter along side a nice salary package. My sister even paid a months rent for me, a week before the 13th of Jan which was the day he said I would be starting work. I really wanted this job because its what I had studied for and family and friends were so happy for me... when I found out that this was a scam it crushed my heart and I am so hurt that someone could do this. I had to pack up my things and leave Liverpool and now trying to find the money to give back to my sister while I am still looking for a job. This middle aged low life has really affected my belief in people as well as direct Gov for allowing this to be Advertised. I hope John Parks gets what is coming to him!!! I don't know how he can live with himself especially when there are people genuinely looking for work and that I really trying the best to find a job...