The tricks of the biggest job-seeking scam ring in Nghe An.

(Baonghean.vn) - Taking advantage of the plight of many recent graduates who are unemployed, these individuals have formed a job-seeking scam ring. Hundreds of job-seeking individuals have fallen victim to this ring, with the amount of money scammed out of "job-seeking" reaching over 10 billion VND...

» Video of the confession from the ringleader of the 'job-fixing' ring in hospitals

Each year, universities, colleges, and vocational schools in Nghe An province train 19,000-20,000 students, but approximately 20,000 graduates are currently unemployed.

The pressure to get jobs in state agencies is immense, but the number of vacancies is limited. Therefore, many families try every means possible to secure jobs for their children. "Where there's demand, there's supply," and seizing this opportunity, a network for securing jobs in medical facilities in Nghe An province emerged. The ringleader was Tran Thi Phuong (born 1962, residing in Hung Binh, Vinh City).

To gain the trust of those seeking "job placement," those involved in this network claim to have "extensive connections," able to secure jobs at medical facilities. If necessary, these individuals even make direct phone calls to hospital directors to vouch for the connections.

With this simple trick, hundreds of people who had graduated from medical vocational schools and colleges and were unemployed for several years after graduation fell into the trap of this network.

Job application profile - illustrative image.

Since 2012, information about a "job-securing ring that can get you a job at the province's top hospital" has spread. As a result, in 2013, 2014, and 2015, the ringleaders expanded their application collection areas, and the "job-securing" fee increased from 150 million VND to 300 million VND per position.

From 2012 to 2016, the suspects received job applications from hundreds of people, each paying between 150 and 300 million VND to secure jobs at hospitals in Nghe An province. The total amount collected for "job-securing" reached over 10 billion VND.

Ms. Nguyen Thi T from Quynh Luu said: "At the end of 2014, through a relative's introduction, I learned that Ms. Phuong could 'arrange' a job at the Provincial Friendship General Hospital. As a parent, raising and educating a child is already incredibly expensive, and then the child still hasn't found a job after graduation, so I'm very worried."

Thinking that borrowing a few hundred million more to help my child get a job was the right thing to do, my mother and I went to Ms. Phuong's house to give her the money and received a guarantee that she would "get my child a job at the Provincial Friendship General Hospital." But we waited and waited without any results. Every time we called, Ms. Phuong said we had to wait a while longer, and that she would prioritize my child when there was a recruitment drive. Now, knowing that Ms. Phuong has been arrested, my only wish is to get back the money I gave her."

Like Ms. T's family, many families, through their connections, sold their pigs and cows, and even borrowed money at exorbitant interest rates to "bribe" officials to get jobs, giving the money to Tran Thi Phuong. After receiving the money, Phuong would write a receipt stating: "I have received money from Mr./Ms. ... to help their child, ..., who has graduated from ..., get a job at the Provincial Friendship General Hospital. I guarantee that from the time of application until the signing of a contract, a long-term contract, or permanent employment. If I fail to do so, I will bear full responsibility before the law."

Authorities searched the home of suspect Tran Thi Phuong.

Lieutenant Colonel Dang Van Hoat, Deputy Head of the Economic and Corruption Crime Investigation Department of the Nghe An Provincial Police, said that Phuong quickly gained the trust of many people by writing it down in that way. According to investigative experience, in similar cases, the suspect would usually only write that they borrowed from Mr. A or Ms. B for some purpose, and wouldn't dare write it down so specifically.

According to the victims, after a long period of promises without securing jobs, when they went to demand their money back, the perpetrators threatened them: "It's best not to file a complaint. Anyone who files a complaint will not only fail to get a job, but we won't return their money either."

Therefore, some victims thought that if they didn't report it, they would still have a chance to get their money back. Only now, upon hearing that Ms. Phuong had been arrested, did they go to the police to file a report.

Duc Dung - Canh Nam