The United Arab Emirates has a problem with job scams; fake jobs with fake employers offered by scammers outside the country. If you are interested in working in the UAE, read this article which shows you how to Spot a Fake Job Offer.
There have been fake job offer scams for a long time in the United Arab Emirates, but most have been issued by imposters who have fraudulently used genuine company logos and names to attract innocent candidates into scams. The job offer is a bait to trick the candidate into sending money to travel or immigration agents to secure visas and work permits which are allegedly required to take up the position offered by the company and accepted by the candidate.
The agents naturally vanish once the funds have been remitted, the visa or work permit never arrives and the poor candidate eventually realises that the whole thing was an elaborate deception and that the job offer was fake.
An important red flag warning sign that you may have been enticed into a job scam is that the job offer is unusually exceptional with a salary and benefit package which is often double or triple the going rate, with first class travel and accommodation thrown in. When things look too good to be true, they are usually are! The job is usually offered without an interview too!
It has come to our attention that the scam has been taken to new heights by a hospital called MEDICAL CONSULTANCY CENTER (MCC) UAE. Has anyone heard of this hospital? It has its own website which ranks the number 1 slot in google and claims to be authorised by the Ministry of Health in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It boasts accreditation by the prestigious Joint Commission International (JCI) of the USA, flashing the gold JCIA badge on the home page of the website.
It promotes multiple services including paediatric checks, vaccinations for Hajj and Ummra, wellness check packages. laser vision correction, plastic surgery, endocrinology, dermatology and a history of excellence going back to its founding in 1981. It has photographs of many doctors in various specialisms with detailed biographies of their education, experience, skills and scope of practice. But is it real?
If one looks closely at the home page, the main contact number is a mobile phone +971 524973064. If you call this number, it is answered by a man who refuses to give his name. This is a giveaway because real hospitals have professional switchboard operators who are happy to confirm their identities. They also use landlines, not mobile phones.
Feel reassured by this?
A candidate received the offer below (visible and scrollable at the foot of the page).The offer is flanked by the hospital logo and various stamps and a reference number to confirm its alleged authenticity.
Its various terms are highlighted in red and blue ink and the offer seems to be wildly generous for such an apparently small hospital. The salary is paid in US dollars and not in the local Emirati dirham. This is another red flag; employers in the United Arab Emirates pay salaries into employee accounts with local banks in the Arab Emirates Dirham (AED) which is readily convertible to other currencies.
The job offer provides first class travel and accommodation and multiple other benefits. It is in monetary terms, better than the going rate for such a position in Abu Dhabi at the type of facility this organisation appears to be.
However, the hospital is a fake. A brief review of the website of the JCI lists all the accredited hospitals in the country and there is no mention of Medical Consultancy Clinic (MCC). A geographical search on google maps confirms the hospital is not listed at its stated address.
We hope this information will help to keep you safe and if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us for advice.
Read this article about the job scams with Green Hospital Abu Dhabi, a fake hospital.
Ready for a change? Whether you’re looking for higher compensation, greater autonomy, a better work-life balance, or just a change in scenery, we have job opportunities in wonderful locations across the world. Start your medical or dental job search today and embark on your next career move.
We believe everyone deserves to find their dream job. Be the first to hear about new practice opportunities in exciting locations across the world Simply sign up for job alerts in your chosen field, and we will email you when a new job in your specialty becomes available.