The police in Singapore are looking into a company here called Changting Network Technology, which has been putting up online job ads for roles that are supposed to be based in Singapore. But when people get to the interview stage, they’re told the job is actually in a Cambodian resort, called Koh Kong Resort, which has been linked to a scam. The United States Treasury Department has taken action against the resort’s owner, a Cambodian businessman, for “serious human rights abuse related to the treatment of trafficked workers subjected to forced labour in online scam centres.”
The Singapore police said that they have received reports about the company and are currently looking into them. They also gave some advice to the public: always check if job offers are real, especially if something seems strange or too good to be true. You can also call the ScamShield Helpline if you’re not sure.
Inconsistent Job Offers
The Straits Times news outlet decided to look into the company after a person who applied for a job there had doubts and posted online about it. The news outlet, pretending to be a job seeker, had a similar experience.
- A reporter submitted a fake resume for a “senior customer service executive” role.
- Within an hour, a hiring manager offered the job with a monthly salary of $5,000, saying the role was based in Singapore but included a mandatory three-month training period in Cambodia.
- The offer letter that was sent had a different salary—US$2,800 (S$3,628). The letter also gave an address in Cambodia that matched the Koh Kong Resort.
- Later, in a second interview, a different person from the company said the job would actually be permanently in Cambodia, and the salary would be cut to $3,000. They also said accommodation would be a room shared with five other people.
Another person who applied for a different job—a digital advertising manager—had a different experience but with similar red flags. The job, which was listed on a local job portal, offered a salary between $6,000 and $10,000. While the company representative didn’t mention being based in Cambodia, they did say that overseas training would be part of the job.
Other Odd Things about the Company
The Straits Times also did some checks on the company itself and found a lot of inconsistencies.
- The company is registered in Singapore and was started in 2019. Its official address is in Paya Lebar Square, but when reporters went there, nobody was in the office. A person working on the same floor said they “hardly saw anyone inside” the office.
- The company’s website, however, lists a different address at Singapore Land Tower.
- The phone numbers associated with the company were also dead ends. One number on their website was invalid, and a mobile number on their LinkedIn page belonged to a security company. The email address on their website didn’t work either.
The whole situation shows that it’s important to be careful and do your own research when you see a job offer that seems a bit off, especially when it involves working in a different country.
