All instances are real and thread of mails presented in this series is unaltered (original).
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama, Comedy. Just kidding. It is just another post.
Chapter 1: Selection
During my holidays I received an e-mail from Employment Processing Manager at Caltex Malaysia, Dr. Mohammed Rahman Ali, seeking my interest in their job openings. Benefits included following
1. Five Bedroom Flat Duplex
2. Free Medical & Travel Insurance
3.10 Days Leave / Vacation after Every 90 Working Days
4. Flight Fares (Air Tickets)
5. Free Education Scheme to Expatriates Children/Family
6. Free Toyota Camry 2010 Model.
Perks were so great that without any delay I started pursuing the selection process. They asked me to send my credentials to them. I replied back with my cover letter and resume. I wrote a few lines on how I was pretty much born to work in Malaysia and especially in their firm. They asked me to fill a questionnaire which I did. Kanchan only knows how much trouble I went through to fill that form. I was attending my brother’s marriage and deadline was on the same day. I was in village and so, I had to dictate answers to Kanchan over phone (cost me close to Rs 70) and then he sent it to Caltex. I had to share my Gmail password with him and he get to know a few of my dirty secrets. Don’t you Kanchan?
After few more formalities, the day my holiday ended in India, I received an employment offer from them, almost unbeatable on all grounds. Employment offer came with benefits mentioned above and 9,500$ USD (after tax) as monthly salary. I had to sign the attached employment offer and send it to HR at Caltex. Time frame to complete visa process was 20/8/12 and all the expenditure was to be reimbursed within a week of joining Caltex. To make visa process easy for me, they had given me contact details of Head of Operations at Malaysian Immigration, Mr Razak Badawi.
You must be thinking where is the story?
Chapter 2: Something is Fishy here
Genre: Crime, Thriller, Drama, Comedy. Just kidding. It is just another post.
Chapter 1: Selection
During my holidays I received an e-mail from Employment Processing Manager at Caltex Malaysia, Dr. Mohammed Rahman Ali, seeking my interest in their job openings. Benefits included following
1. Five Bedroom Flat Duplex
2. Free Medical & Travel Insurance
3.10 Days Leave / Vacation after Every 90 Working Days
4. Flight Fares (Air Tickets)
5. Free Education Scheme to Expatriates Children/Family
6. Free Toyota Camry 2010 Model.
Perks were so great that without any delay I started pursuing the selection process. They asked me to send my credentials to them. I replied back with my cover letter and resume. I wrote a few lines on how I was pretty much born to work in Malaysia and especially in their firm. They asked me to fill a questionnaire which I did. Kanchan only knows how much trouble I went through to fill that form. I was attending my brother’s marriage and deadline was on the same day. I was in village and so, I had to dictate answers to Kanchan over phone (cost me close to Rs 70) and then he sent it to Caltex. I had to share my Gmail password with him and he get to know a few of my dirty secrets. Don’t you Kanchan?
After few more formalities, the day my holiday ended in India, I received an employment offer from them, almost unbeatable on all grounds. Employment offer came with benefits mentioned above and 9,500$ USD (after tax) as monthly salary. I had to sign the attached employment offer and send it to HR at Caltex. Time frame to complete visa process was 20/8/12 and all the expenditure was to be reimbursed within a week of joining Caltex. To make visa process easy for me, they had given me contact details of Head of Operations at Malaysian Immigration, Mr Razak Badawi.
You must be thinking where is the story?
Chapter 2: Something is Fishy here
I did well in BARC interview and then this offer; it was like dream come true. I reached Australia in high spirits. Just at the back of my mind, something was bothering me. The question was how did they get my details? Is it too good to be real? First question was kind of irrelevant as long as I had positive answer for 2nd one. I remembered registering with their career site once, so I was more focussed on 2nd question. After chat with my flatmate Arjun in Australia, we decided to look for truth.
Little bit of research suggested that everything is fake. Both Mr Razak Badawi and Dr. Mohammed Rahman Ali had e-mail address on free service provider @live.com. Usually big firms have there own e-mail account and for security reasons they do not use free service provider. So the trick was to delude candidates into getting visa and extract money as visa approval fee. I doubt that both were different person from the beginning.
I got fooled for a while, but when it comes to giving money to someone else, I an extra careful. It was time for revenge.
Next Post
Chapter 3: No one messes with ME!!
