Is This an Online Scam

A while back I created an online soccer profile. I am a professional player and I am currently signed for a team in the USA.

An agent contacted me regarding an opportunity after seeing my online profile. He asked me to send him my resume so he may forward it to the club in the UK for their review. The team did review it and contacted me a day or so later. The email was sent to me but it came in my spam. I was a bit suspicious from this point on.

WHITE HAWK FC

OFFICIALS OFFICE


We the white hawk club did receive your application from our agent regarding the urgent need of players in our team in Brighton UK,our site is under construction at the moment as we are updating new information.


We are also in urgent need of talented footballers to grace up our new team.


We will be sending you the contract data prepared by the attorney so you can sign and return them back.

As you know The contract is for 2 season which is 12 month and the team is willing
to pay $9,000 USD per month for a start and if you impress they will
increase your salary,there other benefit attached to the contract as
state below.


1. Accommodation (2 bedroom furnish apartment+24 internet facility
2. Transportation (Private care)
3. Feeding (3 Square meal per day)
4.Medical
5. Insurance
6. Travel Allowance
7.Weekly Allowance
8.Match Bonuses'
9.Free access to telephone call and gym facilities.


Players are expect to report to the team camp in UK latest the 30th nov 2013, for a one week training section,the reason for the training section is for players to train and workout together to enable master one another,improve on their game and play as a team in preparation ahead of the new season,food ,accommodation and transportation will be provided during your stay at the club.

You are requested to purchase your ticket and get yourself prepared for the trip,you will also be reimburse your ticket money we believe you can you will be off great asset to the team.

we have an accredited agent in each country where you can purchase your ticket and they will also assist you with any visa/passport issues needed to be secured so as to enhance you journey,we will be sending you the details of a representative in the state who will assist you with ticketing,visa and other travel plans.

Our accredited travel advisor should be the one to assist you with ticketing,visa and other itineraries as agreed by the UK immigration act for players coming to the team,due to past experience some players are invited for trials with purchased tickets and they ended up not reporting to the team upon arrivals.

Micheal smith

Head coach.

+447924590255

This was the email sent to me. I responded and asked how to proceed. Michael Smith replied by putting me in contact with their travel agent to arrange my travel to England. Here is his email.

Thank you for contacting us as regards to your travel plans to the club in the UK as the team have already sent us the list of players they are expecting.

I hope you are prepared for this great opportunity to showcase your talent to the world.


You are required to be in the club on or before the 30th of nov.

The Team management will be at the airport to pick you up upon arrival in the UK.

The Ticket for you to travel down to team in UK will cost you $750.


Do you have a passport?if yes is OK and if you don't we need to assist you in arranging and emergency travel documents that will allow and enable you to travel so we need to start this as soon as possible.

I need the following information from you so i can proceed with your travel plans.

1- FULL NAME AND ADDRESS SO I KNOW YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT YOU LEAVING FROM

2-DATE YOU WILL LIKE TO LEAVE THE USA

3-WE WILL GIVE YOU OUR DETAILS IN PA WHERE YOU WILL SEND THE TICKET MONEY AND INSURANCE TO US VIA WESTERN UNION AND ONCE WE RECEIVE IT WE WILL START THE TRAVEL PLANS.

Always at your service and assisting people fulfill there career.

Mark Gregory
Travel ad-visor PA
5713089852

He is asking for me to send money through Western Union which is sketchy. Is this an elaborate scam scheme? I checked the team and it's a real team; however, the Head Coach for the team is Darren Freeman and not Michael Smith.

Thanks

Hello juventus14 ,

As you have already suspected, this is a scam. Any request for a payment via Western Union is a huge red flag.
Please post the email addresses used by this scam as that will help others who maybe searching for information on this scam.

If you have any additional questions please ask.

Thanks Mike, here's the email address' of all 3 people I've been in contact with.

[email protected] - the so called agent

[email protected] - the so called head coach

[email protected] - the so called travel agent

The writing is African, and the travel agent is an invention of the scammer. If you pay money for a ticket to a travel agent, the travel agent is in your country, not the destination. One does not get a visa by paying a travel agent. One does not pay a travel agent by Western Union. It's a scam.

No football club on the planet will give you a contract without seeing you play, so if you haven't met an agent face to face, any offer is a scam.

You will not be able to secure a visa to work as a professional football player in the UK unless you have at least played for your country at some level. This is to deter football clubs from getting rid of their UK players and replacing them all with foreign players, which would leave the country without the ability to form an England soccer team.

This scam is very common in Africa and it is usually the scam offer of a trial with a major UK soccer club. Even if you're a UK born player based in the UK no soccer clubs run open trials. Unless they've seen you play and you've made a mark with your performances they won't be interested. The club will find you. You have to be quite special and be making headlines to get their attention. Several major UK clubs run events for kids where they can use their facilities and train like a professional player but they make clear that it isn't a trial and they make this clear.