Teaching English in foreign countries has become a popular way for graduates to see the world and make money, but it’s always important to keep your eyes open for scams.
Teaching abroad can be a fulfilling, exciting and sometimes lucrative experience, but as with all new markets, there are always those looking to make a quick extra buck out of wide-eyed graduates. Here are some signs that you might not be looking at a legitimate job offer or application, but rather, a scam.
They have a poor or no reputation at all
Reputation speaks volumes in this industry. Ways to find schools and companies that are scam-free are to use reputable job listing sites or recruitment platforms such as Teach Away or Go Overseas, just to name two. One of the best ways to avoid these scams is to find references from friends or family who are currently working overseas and have not encountered anything strange.
Double check their email address
Strange email addresses and scams go together like cheese and crackers, no matter the industry. Scammers will usually use the name of the school and use a Gmail or Yahoo address, instead of the official domain address, which will usually end in ‘.com’ as their supposedly official email.
It’s too perfect
There are some wonderful deals out there for students, but everything comes with some sort of sacrifice. If you find yourself feeling that it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
Dayna Remus
