Hello everyone !
I have recently registered on a website as an AuPair. I am basically looking for a family here in Switzerland , but I am open to other countries as well depending the given conditions .
Anyway , after a few days I was contacted by a few families based in USA in UK . I choose to give a positive reply to a family from Manchester . They seems to be really great people and we discussed about the arrangements .
However today , I received her information about payment ( which sounds too good to be real ) and process of my papers.
She is telling me that they will cover all my accommodation and travel expenses , BUT ( of course there is a but in heaven too ) , I shall transfer to her lawyer 800 pounds ( the cost of my papers process ) . So , forgive me but I am having some trust issues .
I mean , everything sounds really great ( 3000 pounds per month + additionally weekly money pocket + my own studio in their penthouse 30hrs per week etc ) So I am kind of confused .
Is this safe ? How much is an AuPair really paid per month in UK ? I searched everywhere but I can't get a final answer . I have no idea about such things especially in UK .
We've been talking a lot and I really like them but I would really appreciate a few opinions .

I am also attaching a part of our conversation ( hope that's ok )

''We shall be paying you the total sum of 3,000 Great Britain pounds and a pocket fee of 600pounds every week for you to get some stuffs you need for yourself..Hope the salary is okay with you..
I have just contacted the Immigration Service not quite long to make inquiry about the Arrangement of your Traveling Documents and they made me understand they will get your Traveling Documents processed for you in within 1week as they have did for my Last Aupair Okay?
And they also made me understand that the total sum of 800 Great British Pounds, will be needed for the processing of your Traveling Documents, so please let me know when can we arrange the transfer , or if you prefer a fast money service , even better . The sooner the better.
The job is already yours and we can;t wait to meet you here..''

What nationality are the family?

How often do you get the £3000? every week, month, or is it a one off payment? £600 a week plus accommodation alone is too much for an au pair I think. I didn't get paid anywhere near that for a skilled job in the UK.

Also their English is pretty terrible. If you need to apply for documents then they should be sending you official paperwork to complete... and it wouldn't be approved in a week.

I smell a rat. How about you sign up with a reputable Au Pair agency?

English she says . Her name sounds like an English name . ( not sure if I am allowed to write it here )

It seems to me that it should be to them to pay for your paper work. Did you talk to them on the phone or just by emails?

I have the feeling it is a scam.

The English is terrible. I doubt they are English. Somebody is lying about something here

Don't send them ANY money. Ask for the documents to fill in and a contract and say once you have that that you will send any money required direct to the home office (immigration). If they are not ok with this, then it is a scam. Also £800 seems way too much money for processing the paperwork.

It's got to be a scam. And the 'english' shows many mistakes that a local wouldn't make...

Will they video-skype with you (where you can see their face!) and talk on the normal telephone ?

If not, definitely a scam.

Same line as in many scams ....

http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/vie...p?f=42&t=16448

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Its definetly a scam steer well clear

cheers

Paul

She is offering 3000 pounds monthly + 600 pounds weekly .... But she says she is a banker lol

''My name is Mrs C*** Campbell. and I am 33 years old, I am a Banker and my Husband James is 40 years old and very busy with his business in petrol industry and We live in a penthouse here in Manchester ''

Any tips for a reputable agency in Switzerland ?

Anyone asking for money up front and offering a package that is almost too good to be true, stinks of a scam - walk away.

EDIT: Campbell is a Scottish name - and Scots are very tight with their money.

EDIT 2: Ask for the names of the companies that she and her husband work for - it would be interesting to see which petrol company her husband works for.

So they can afford to pay you a total of £5400 per month (way too much) but they won't cover the £800 immigration fees?? Ha... that makes no sense!

WALK AWAY NOW!!

Only by e-mail . I asked for her number which seems to be this
Is this an UK number ?
She says she don't have skype installed and she doesn't know how that works . But she did sent a lot of pictures , which she said are recent , but that boy is definitely not 3 y.o.

OMG that's the same thing I got
And there are so many on this website . God !

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_in_t..._area_code_701

A UK number beginning +44 70 (or 070 in domestic format) is a personal "follow-me" number that can be forwarded to almost anywhere in the world.

You can easily find the picture on Internet using tools like this one.

http://www.tineye.com/

Skype is so easy to install and doesn't need any instructions. This is the favorite lines by scammers to avoid video calls.

Someone tried with me for a kitten, I saw it coming and answered back SCAM. Never heard from him again.

I am just speechless ... What I read on the website Jrspet gave me , shocked me . They are so many !
Hopefully not as many victims .
Thank you so much guys ! I knew it was too good to be truth and I am happy I asked for your opinions. Thanks a lot !

Clearly a scam - walk away.

But if you are serious about working in the UK, you really should familiarize yourself with the UKBA website, where you will find all most of the information you need about the various visa types, application requirements, restrictions, and fees. As your profile says you are Romanian, this is a good place to start:

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/bu.../work-permits/

Good luck!

Time to look elsewhere for a job ....

hahaha clever ! So they can be in Ghana or any other part of the word fooling me )

Thank you for the helpful info . Yep I'm a Romanian

Better to look elsewhere than ending up in some really huge debts and no job .

Thanks again everyone for your help ! Meant a lot to me . Especially when you are a bit desperate and not thinking clear , a second ( or many ) opinions matters .
Regards.