The Sad Story Of Iniubong Umoren The Job Seeker And Staying Safe From Job Scammers

There are so many creative ways to hunt for job these days. One of them is through the use of social media. A job seeker can share with social media connections when looking for a job and I know of persons who got jobs faster by doing just that.  The sad story of Miss Iniobong Umoren however,  is apparently one of the ugly instances of persons who only asked for a job, were promised jobs but it turned out to be a scam.

 

According to Sahara Reporters 

Umoren, a fresh graduate of the University of Uyo had dropped a tweet on her handle on Tuesday seeking a job and had got many replies in that regard.

She wrote, “#AkwaIbomTwitter please I'm really in need of a job, something to do to keep mind and soul together while contributing dutifully to the organisation. My location is Uyo, I'm creative, really good at thinking critically and most importantly a fast learner. CV available on request.”

She was allegedly invited for job interview by a young man, Frank Ezekiel Akpan, who promised her a job. The Said Akpan reportedly kidnapped the victim, took her to his father's compound, raped, murdered and buried her in a shallow grave.

A statement on the incidence, issued by The Akwa Ibom State Police Command reads

“The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested one Uduak Frank Akpan, 20 years old for kidnapping, raping and murdering one Miss Iniobong Umoren. On 30/04/2021, the Command received a report on the disappearance of the victim. “Following available leads, men of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Command, led by CSP Inengiye Igosi, consolidated on the initial great progress made by the Divisional Police Officer Uruan, SP Samuel Ezeugo and arrested the perpetrator who confessed to having lured his victim to his house in the guise of giving her a job but ended up sexually and physically assaulting her which led to her death. “To cover his tracks, he dragged and buried her in a shallow grave in his father’s compound. The deceased has been exhumed and deposited at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) for autopsy. “The suspect confessed to have told his Local Government Chairman of his atrocity before escaping to Calabar and was never at any time handed over to the Police by anyone. The suspect is a confessed serial rapist who has owned up to the raping of other victims. He will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation.

Social media played a huge role in raising awareness about the missing of Umoren as well as in tracking her murderer. It took series' of tweets by a friend of the deceased young lady and social media started to buzz with "#FindHinyHumoren which was created to that effect.”. But the sad incidence reveals one of the very high risks of hunting job through social media.

How can a young unsuspecting graduate avert falling prey to heartless criminals that exploit innocent people in the name of offering jobs? The following 4 guidelines will help a lot.

How to Avoid a Job Scam

Before you go for a job interview and accept a job offer, and certainly before you pay for one, take these steps to protect yourself from job scams:

1. Do an online search. Look up the name of the company or the person who’s hiring you, plus the words “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” You might find out they’ve scammed other people.
2. Talk to someone you trust. Describe the offer to them. What do they think? This also helps give you vital time to think about the offer.
3. Don't pay for the promise of a job. Legitimate employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job. Anyone who does is a scammer.
4. Never bank on a “cleared” cheque. No legitimate potential employer will ever send you a cheque and then tell you to send on part of the money, or buy gift cards with it. That’s a fake cheque scam. The cheque will bounce, and the bank will want you to repay the amount of the fake cheque.

Conclusion

There are so many creative ways to hunt for job these days. One of them is through the use of social media. A job seeker must realise that though social media is a great platform that can help to get a job, it is equally filled with bad folks who are daily looking out for who to prey on. When using social media for job hunting, ensure to not let scammers prey on you by following the 4 guidelines above to protect yourself from job scammers.