by magpie25
Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:58 pm
I contacted a family through www.greataupair.com to work as an au pair in China. The father asked me to deal directly with an agency so they could go through the details and arrange a visa. I was put in contact with Olivia Hu at Au Pair Shanghai.
She asked me to fill out an application form and return it to her. She then said due to my experience (quite little) I was not suited to the position but had another family who were interested. I was then passed Skype details for her colleague Roni Yan. He arranged the details with me and I skyped the mother for about ten minutes although she did not speak much english.
They would like me to look after their eight year old daughter who lives with her grandparents in Beijing. I work 30 hours a week with one day off and get manderin lessons. I get approx £100 a month 'pocket money'. Roni put me in contact with another au pair in beijing who I added on facebook and is also from the UK. He seems geniune.I have checked the website which looks ok and nothing has come up on google to say they are a scam.
Roni has paid for my flight to hong kong to get my visa and then to beijing to meet the family. He has asked for no money up front.
I read something in one of these forums saying that the only good agency is HSS and the other agencies do not do what they promise in terms of time off and language lessons.
I do not yet have an address of where I will be living and have not spoken to the little girl or grandparents, although the agency were eager for me to skype the mother.
Does this sound like a scam and how can I protect myself to make sure I get what I am promised?
She asked me to fill out an application form and return it to her. She then said due to my experience (quite little) I was not suited to the position but had another family who were interested. I was then passed Skype details for her colleague Roni Yan. He arranged the details with me and I skyped the mother for about ten minutes although she did not speak much english.
They would like me to look after their eight year old daughter who lives with her grandparents in Beijing. I work 30 hours a week with one day off and get manderin lessons. I get approx £100 a month 'pocket money'. Roni put me in contact with another au pair in beijing who I added on facebook and is also from the UK. He seems geniune.I have checked the website which looks ok and nothing has come up on google to say they are a scam.
Roni has paid for my flight to hong kong to get my visa and then to beijing to meet the family. He has asked for no money up front.
I read something in one of these forums saying that the only good agency is HSS and the other agencies do not do what they promise in terms of time off and language lessons.
I do not yet have an address of where I will be living and have not spoken to the little girl or grandparents, although the agency were eager for me to skype the mother.
Does this sound like a scam and how can I protect myself to make sure I get what I am promised?