This lesson is for everyone.

(Baonghean) - Baonghean newspaper received a complaint from Mr. Ta Van Huy, residing in Hamlet 5, Dien Thang commune (Dien Chau district), regarding his family's application and payment of 147 million VND to the 19/5 Construction Investment and Labor Supply Joint Stock Company for his son to work in South Korea. However, the company failed to fulfill its commitment and did not return the money to the family...

Mr. Ta Van Huy speaks with reporters.

According to Mr. Ta Van Huy's petition: My third son, Ta Van Hanh (born in 1986, graduated from the Vocational College of Technology No. 3 in the field of Automotive Engineering), is unemployed. In 2010, the family borrowed 50 million VND for Hanh to go to Libya for work. However, after only one year, due to the unstable political situation in Libya, Hanh had to return home. The money he earned was only enough to pay off the debt. At the same time, I was diagnosed with pancreatitis and had to undergo surgery at Bach Mai Hospital (Hanoi), costing over 80 million VND. Our already difficult family life became even more impoverished. At the end of 2012, while in Vinh City for a medical check-up, I met an old comrade. After hearing about my family's situation, he introduced me to Mr. Nguyen Luong Bang, an employee of the 19-5 Construction Investment and Labor Supply Joint Stock Company. Mr. Bang promised to arrange for my son to work in South Korea and asked my family to prepare the paperwork and pay a deposit of 21 million VND to process the application with the foreign partner. On January 3, 2013, my son brought 21 million VND to Vinh City and gave it to Mr. Bang. However, the receipt only stated 20 million VND. On January 6, 2013, Mr. Nguyen Huy Tuong, Director of the 19-5 Trading, Investment, Construction and Labor Supply Joint Stock Company, called my family demanding a payment of 2,000 USD to process the visa. On January 10, 2013, Mr. Tuong called again, demanding another 5,000 USD for departure. The total amount my family paid directly to Mr. Tuong was 126 million VND. To get the money, I had to borrow money at high interest rates, mortgage my land title, my war veteran's allowance book, and sell family assets.

When Mr. Tuong received the money from my family, he promised that my son would be able to leave the country in April 2013. If he couldn't leave, the company would return the money. But after waiting until the end of April without any response, my son and I went to Vinh, to the company's office to demand our money back, but Mr. Tuong was absent. On July 18, 2013, my son and I went to Vinh again hoping to get our money back. There, Mr. Tuong continued to be evasive and wrote a commitment letter stating that the company would return the documents and refund the money to the family by July 29, 2013. But once again, Mr. Tuong did not keep his promise. When I went to the company, Mr. Tuong disappeared without a trace, and he didn't answer my calls. Knowing that my family had been scammed, we didn't know how to get our money back. Meanwhile, my family has to pay more than 2 million dong in interest each month. When the promissory note expired, I had to borrow money from my two daughters just to keep the family land.

According to the records, Mr. Huy provided reporters with the original copies of two payment receipts (one for 42 million VND and one for 84 million VND). The receipts bore the seal of the 19-5 Trading, Investment, Construction and Labor Export Joint Stock Company and the signature of Mr. Nguyen Huy Tuong, the company's director, stating the payment was for labor export; a commitment letter and a promissory note written by Mr. Nguyen Huy Tuong regarding the return of the money. It was learned that in April 2014, upon hearing that Mr. Huy had filed a complaint against Mr. Tuong, Mr. Nguyen Luong Bang directly returned 20 million VND to Mr. Huy. Mr. Bang claimed the remaining 1 million VND was for processing the application and passport. Mr. Huy shared: “Because of my excessive trust in friends and in the director with the official seal, my family has fallen into this situation. This is also a lesson for families hoping to send their children to work abroad through unofficial channels.”

The receipts and commitment letters bear the signature of Director Nguyen Huy Tuong.

Working with the leaders of Dien Thang commune, it was learned that Dien Thang commune currently has 130 workers going abroad for employment, of which about 90% went through official channels, and the rest through intermediaries. However, the commune is only aware of the case of Mr. Huy's family, who were unable to go and have not yet recovered their money. Mr. Nguyen Van Trach, Chairman of the People's Committee of the commune, confirmed the incident and said: "Through Mr. Huy's family's case, the commune hopes that the authorities will provide specific announcements and guidelines on recruiting people for overseas employment. Many companies have approached the commune to discuss cooperation in sending people abroad for employment, but it is difficult to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent companies. While the demand for overseas employment is very high, people who are not careful will be scammed..."

On the morning of October 21st, we visited the office of the 19-5 Trading and Labor Supply Joint Stock Company, located at 41 Nguyen Sy Sach Street (Vinh City). The company office is on the second floor, with only one employee present. When we asked to speak to Mr. Tuong, the employee stated that he was currently in Ho Chi Minh City. Contacted by phone, Mr. Tuong confirmed that he owed money to Mr. Huy's family. “For the past 5 or 6 months, the company hasn't been working anymore; we've only been focusing on collecting debts. We received deposits, but then used those deposits to pay other people. Due to unforeseen problems, the workers couldn't go, and the company's deposit recipients haven't returned the money. I'm currently in Saigon, trying to get the money back to pay the people,” Mr. Tuong said.

The above incident shows that the recruitment and placement of workers for overseas employment in the province is currently complicated. Many companies offer overseas employment services but lack real competence. Furthermore, due to a lack of information, people are unable to distinguish between legitimate and fraudulent overseas employment programs, resulting in financial loss and other negative consequences. This serves as a lesson for people when applying for overseas employment.

Text and photos:Nguyen Hung