Future ‘employers’ requesting money
Alarm bells should start ringing in your head as soon as you are asked to send prospective employers money. Although you will occasionally have to spend money for visas at the embassy or perhaps a medical at the clinic (remember to keep the receipt) you should not have to send the apparent employer money.
A dream job
There are a few dream TEFL jobs out there, but when a company offers you a fantastic salary in a country where other schools are offering a lot less, you need to scrutinize the job carefully.
Poor interview experience or no interview!
Interviews are not scripted so they often have an odd aspect to them. But if your interviewer’s English is poor, they seem unfamiliar with a teacher’s working routine, or are unfamiliar with well known texts then you should perhaps be wary. If there’s a job offer without even a perfunctory interview, then stay clear of that organization.
Dodgy contact information or website domain extensions
It’s worth examining the way in which you are communicating with the future employer. Check that the postcode is legitimate. Do phone numbers match the numbers on the official website? It’s difficult to verify that a website/email address is indeed legitimate as people can add extensions to a well known company name and therefore pass themselves off as a member of that organization. Google the numbers or email addresses and you might find that they have been used in previous scams. Phone the organization using a number from their website and ask to be put through to the person hiring you.
Don’t pay them money. Don't send them important documents until you are sure that they are a legitimate organization. Do your research and you should be fine. If you encounter any of the above, please contact teflhub here.