Unemployed man tricked in security job scam

Astley Forrester, 34, claims that he is the victim of an employment scam.

Having been out of work for approximately a year, Forrester said he quickly jumped at a job opportunity being advertised in The Gleaner, under the name Crystal Clear Security Company.

Promptly, he called the phone number listed and spoke to a man who gave his name as Omar Taffy, an alleged supervisor at the company.

"I was told that I was supposed to pay a fee for PSRA (Private Security Regulation Authority) and police record processing and I would start working this morning (yesterday), and I did (pay the fee)," Forrester told THE STAR.

But he has not heard back from Taffy or anyone else from the company.

Already certified as a security guard, he was told that he only needed to pay the processing fee.

"I paid the fee right away, $5,300. I paid it in two parts, $3000 through Western Union and $2,300 through MoneyGram, that is what I was told to do," Forrester said. "I asked if I should send it in the security company's name and he said no, just send it in the name Omar Taffy and send as a friend," Forrester added.

Forrester said he was asked for his waist measurement and shoe size as he was promised uniform as well. He said he was told that a work location was already identified.

"They told me that I would have training by 2 o'clock and they told me that I would have got the uniforms by 3 o'clock and I would have started to work by 9 o'clock this morning (Tuesday)," he told THE STAR.

Forrester said he believed the advertisement was legitimate because he has seen similar ones.

MONEY BORROWED

"I had to borrow the money so that make it even worse," said Forrester, who does whatever odd jobs he can find to make a living.

Senior Superintendent of Police Steve McGregor is urging persons to check the validity of companies when they are doing business or seeking employment.

"Not all that glitters is gold because sometimes people will offer something way better than it really is, and this is where the scamming comes in because this is where you normally drop your guard," he told THE STAR.

McGregor said scam victims should make a report to the any police station convenient to them.

"If you are in any way scammed or fleeced out of your money, you must make a report to the police and any station that you report it to should appreciate your report irrespective of where the incident took place," McGregor said.