News: How I Got Scammed Looking for a Job - Nigerian Graduate Narrates Experience

A Nigerian graduate undergoing his National Youth Service programme in the South-south part of Nigeria has recounted how scammers took advantage of his desperation for a job to extort money from him.

Many of my mates dreamt to be posted to great places during their NYSC. No one wants to be a cast away, likewise me. I wanted to be settled before my service. I want to get a job. Not just ordinary job for that matter. Na better job I want so I hoped and wished to be posted to a place with great opportunities.

October 2015 came. I printed my call-up letter and saw that I was posted to Rivers state. I was so happy. My family was so happy. I was glad because it was Rivers state, a land of so many opportunities. I had high hopes. My blood was so hot to get into camp and get out so I can be posted to oil firm.

But the unfortunate came up, that it’s a policy that all corps members were headed to classroom. None would be posted out of the classroom except they were into medical line or lawyer. And I studied Industrial Chemistry. “So na teach I go teach,” I thought to myself. But I had no choice. I had to switch plans since I had made up my mind that I will be settling down in Port Harcourt after service. I thought of having a good and well-paying job, even conducting tutorial classes for students just to make money during the service year. During the SAED programs in camp, I collected contacts of some of the facilitators and company owners. All was just networking if they will help me after camp.

The Passing out parade (POP) in camp came. But it was unfortunate when I saw my posting letter. I was posted to Asari Toru local Government, and the PPA was Angulaman. Immediately, I saw it, I was weak. I made inquiry about my PPA and I discovered it was a riverine area. I wasn’t happy at all. All my hopes of been posted to an oil firm had been dashed. Infact it looked as if all those great dreams I had in camp had been shattered. “I thought if it would be possible to change it I will just do that.” It was possible but with good reasons.

After leaving the camp, I visited my PPA, Angulama. I had to cross two rivers before getting there. Infact when I got there, I began to weep. No strong browsing network, light sef no dey. This one na village. The school sef wey dem post me no dey exist sef. The kids there sef, one has to be begging them to come to school, “chaiii, loveth you don surfer for your life,” I thought to myself. I felt as a female corper, I can’t cope there.

When I resumed fully at my PPA. Me and my fellow corpers had to be going from house to house in that community. We were going to beg parents to release their kids to come to class.

After a week, I was so tired of the community. I was going out to Port harcourt to withdraw money from ATM. I entered the boat and another passenger who said he was an indigene of the Angulama community began chatting with me. He said he had been noticing me in that community, that the way I dress doesn’t just suit me as a corper teacher in that community. And truly, my fellow corp members had told me same. One even said I do dress to kill. But do i! I didn’t think so because I bought couple of beautiful clothes before going to camp, thinking I would be posted to a great firm so my dressing would be so effective. When my corper leader officer (CLO) was even saying that I shouldn’t be dressing too corporate in that kind of village.

So the indigene man was telling me that he really admired the way I always dress to school even when the school sef doesn’t exist, and no students in the classroom. I smiled and thanked him so well. He said I don’t deserve to be in that community with that kind of my cute and great dressing. I laughed, wetin man fit do! I told the man that even though I didn’t like the place but I have no other choice. He said his name is Mr. Wene and he stays in Port Harcourt. He said he came to check his house and was going back to Port Harcourt. He said with that my fine cooperate dressing, I can fit into all those big organizations. I laughed and jokingly told him that I don’t mind if he could link me to any big organization. He laughed too and told me he can do it. And, I really appreciated that as we chatted and he told me all his exploits and great men he had and is working with. And I believed me. I saw him as a genuine and sincere guy. Infact as he was saying it, I was happy that I have found a helper, someone that will connect and link me to great and big players in Port Harcourt. He looked genuine and somehow rich. And I saw him as a God sent agent. He even paid my transport fare to Port Harcourt and we exchanged contacts before leaving to our various destination.

After my transaction in Port Harcourt, I had to rush down to my PPA to work on my CV. Throughout that weekend I and Mr. Wene talked so much on phone. He said there was a job offer that came up in Trans Amadi and it was a multinational company that has their Headquarters in Texas, U.S. The company deals in chemicals. He said if I don’t mind him linking me because he knows a friend who is an insider. I was so happy about it. “Even if say e reach N70,000 wey them dey pay I go just ghost my NYSC,” that was my thought. I asked him the name of the company, he said he won’t tell me that moment as he laughed on phone. I smiled and took it as a joke. He asked me to send my CV to him through email so he could forward it to them. I had to remind him that there was no browsing network. “Ok kkk,I remember,” he said. He said he would be coming next weekend so I should prepare the hardcopy of my CV, so when he’s going back to Port Harcourt he will take it. I was just so happy as I gave a colleague of mine to help me print out the CV in Choba.

The next weekend came and I gave Mr. Wene my CV. I felt I was close to my breakthrough. Mr. Wene assured me that I shouldn’t bother myself and, that I will get the job, and he had already told his insider about me.

Few days later I received a call from someone who said his name Emmy. He said he was calling me from I&Q American chemical company in Port Harcourt and my CV was sent to their company that I am interested in one of the vacant positions. Na so I tell am “Yes.” Emmy said since I studied industrial chemistry, the position that they would fit me as an industrial junior manager in the company. “Chaiii, na so I happy ooo.” I told him that wouldn’t be a problem. He asked if I would like to work with them. “Chaii, that question no make sense. Who wan reject that kind offer.” Na so I shout “Yes I will.” Na so he tell me say he go call back later. After the call, I was so happy. I felt I was going to win a jackpot. I felt my life was about to change for good.

3 days later Emmy called me and said the next day would be my oral phone interview and I should prepare for it.

The next day came and I was called by a female worker from that company. She asked me couple of questions like my name, why I want to work with them and my goals. I answered them to the best of knowledge. She told me that the company would get back to me.

2 days later, Emmy called and told me that I was successful and they would be expecting me to resume in the next 2 weeks. I was so happy as he told me that my salary was N80,000. “Chaii, see as i just dey happy.” This one na total ghosting for NYSC since I have gotten a good job. After the call, I called my family back at home that I had gotten a job in a multinational company in Port Harcourt. Na so them happy for me. But yet, I was yet to know were, address of the company in Trans Amadi axis of Port Harcourt. I didn’t even know more about the company.

A day later I called Emmy to know how far about my job offer. He told me there was a new development. That I was supposed to come to the company to sign and fill some forms but it has to cut short because the organization is trying to give another person the job. Immediately I heard that, na so my heart fly commot. Wetin I don already happy. I had called so many people that I had gotten a good job. “Na im devil wan pour sand sand for my garri.” I began begging him to help so I won’t loss that kind of opportunity. Emmy said the main thing was because I didn’t pay for the job application fee. I asked how much was the application fee. He told me it was N10,000. And I began wondering why and how people pay for job application fee! I didn’t want to lose that job. I told Emmy that I am a corper and I didn’t have that kind of money. He said he couldn’t do anything about it. I called Mr. Wene to tell him about the new development. Mr. Wene said he would get back to me so he could contact some executives.
 
Few minutes later Mr. Wene called me. He said that I was even supposed to pay N20,000 that of his influence it was reduced to N10,000. He said I should try to pay the money, that that is how they do it. If not, I will lose the job. Na so I begin find money oo. The little money I had was not enough. I had to borrow more money from my colleagues to complete the N10,000 within 24 hours. After raising the money, I called Emmy. Na there the bobo come tell me say I go pay the money into their account so they would process it before I can come to their office. A colleague of mine going to Port Harcourt, I gave her the N10,000 to pay in to the account Emmy sent. It wasn’t even a company’s account number. It was a personal account number. After the payment, Emmy even called to confirm they have gotten the alert.

2 days later, Emmy called and said that I should come with my original documents to their office in Port Harcourt. He gave me the address which was located in Trans Amadi. Na so I the next day I dress wella come go trans Amadi axis, with the address Emmy gave to me. I looked for the company and the place but couldn’t find it. I asked people but everyone said they don’t know or even heard about the company. I tried calling Emmy’s number but it was telling me “the line was switched off.” I called Mr. Wene, same thing. Till date, their numbers had been switched off.
 
It was all dawned on me that I had been duped. I came to realize that the I&Q company doesn’t exist. I even came to realize that I wasn’t the conly corper who fell for that kind of trap. So many corpers were victims of this kind of this fraud. I wanted to report the matter, Mr Wene to the community chief in in my PPA but I was told not to go because I am just a corper in that community and I might just been in danger. Couple of my friends were blaming me because I was so greedy and gullible. Truly, I was gullible.

Written by Christian C. Ozor - Hovabuzz