The Security Industry Authority is raising awareness of a recruitment scam targeting security professionals, Vigilance can report.
The scam involves a series of phony online or newspaper adverts offering permanent jobs within the private security industry - particularly roles with the Prison Service. The scammers use the names of real security companies in an attempt to appear genuine.
After responding to the job advert, the applicant is offered a job and asked to pay an upfront fee of around £60 to carry out a criminal records check. Non-SIA licence holders are asked to pay up to £200 for training and an SIA licence.
The applicant is told to pay the fees using an electronic money transfer system.
The security jobs do not exist and the upfront fees are kept by the scammers.
To ensure that job offers are genuine:
Research the company advertising the job vacancies - check their website for contact details and make separate contact with them.
Be cautious of any advertisement requesting payment upfront, especially through online methods using e-money payments.
Be wary of advertisements using free email addresses such as Gmail or Hotmail
High Compliance in SIA Checks Across London and Birmingham
In another development, Security Industry Authority investigators launched a simultaneous operation across Birmingham and London on Thursday [26 June].
The operation was conducted to check the security licences of door supervisors and security guards working across 29 venues in the two cities.
In Birmingham 56 security guards were checked at venues including: building sites, retail shops, a railway station, the airport and a museum. Of those checked one individual was found working without an SIA licence. Enquiries are on-going.
In central London, 57 door supervisors were checked in pubs, bars and clubs. All the door supervisors were working legally as they held valid SIA licences. Four warnings were issued to individuals for failing to notify the SIA of a change of their address; this is a breach of SIA licensing conditions.
Regional Investigations Manager Paul Cartlidge said: "Random operations like this are undertaken throughout the year to ensure that those working in the private security industry are properly licensed. The scale of this operation and the positive results show that the majority of people working in the industry are aware of their legal obligations.
We will continue to work closely with the industry and enforcement partners to ensure that these high levels of compliance continue."