Core Elements dubai review: job scam 484

its a scam for sure

This is an article from the archives from mol.gov.ae and CORE ELEMENTS is included on the list. you can always check the mol site to make sure im not lying:

Job scam: The interview that never was

Dubai: If you went for a job interview and didn't get through, in all likelihood it was because your interviewer was paid to reject you.

Shocking but true. He was just as bogus as the employment agency you approached. Like the agency you registered with, your interviewer never had a job in the first place.

Last September XPRESS blew the lid off a job racket in the UAE, exposing how some recruitment agencies are fleecing job-seekers by the minute. Five months on, we unearth another facet of the scam - a nexus between recruitment firms and staff of some UAE-based companies.

For as little as Dh25, staff of these companies pose as prospective employers and conduct sham interviews on behalf of recruitment agencies. The racket goes on unabated.

Their Dh25 commission comes from the money you give to the employment agency for registering your CV and processing your application. On a regular day, a phony job interviewer - and there are many in the UAE - conducts 10 such sham interviews on average. That's Dh250 for asking a few dumb questions and playing along with the charade. It doesn't hurt.

A manager at a recruitment agency in Sharjah, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained the modus operandi.

"After job applicants register with us, we charge them between Dh300 and Dh400 to arrange job interviews. Of course, these are bogus. We have tied up with the staff of some companies who meet these job aspirants in their offices and, posing as employers, ask them a few questions. In return for the services we give interviewers Dh25 per applicant. Because the interviews are conducted at the actual offices, no one suspects a thing, " he explained.

Not an ideal boast

It's not an idle boast. Ask Joseph A., S. Ali, Kishore R., or Rashmi P. They all sat through job interviews for various positions after paying Dh300 to a recruitment agency. None of them got hired.

"They didn't get any job because there weren't any, " said an ex-employee of the recruitment agency which arranged these interviews. According to sources, there are at least three offices in Al Ghusais and one in Al Rigga where these bogus interviews are held.

The questions are routine and hardly job-specific. Not surprising, considering it's the same set of people, mostly mid-level executives impersonating HR staff for some easy money on the side.

Gulam Mustafa describes a job interview session arranged by a placement agency for Dh400. The interview was held at a maintenance firm in Al Rigga for a Dh7, 000 job.

"It was bizarre. Six of us were interviewed by one man at the same time and for one position. The interviewer was unprofessional. He kept laughing all the time." Now we know why.

Mariam M. recounts how a recruitment agency confirmed her job as HR manager for a reputed Dubai-based group.

"I was shocked because I was not qualified for that position. For the interview, we were taken in a minivan to an isolated warehouse on the outskirts of Sharjah. We were treated badly. They [the interviewers] said we had to be more broad-minded when it came to dressing if we were looking for the job, " recalls Mariam.

"These interviews not only help us make quick money, they also absolve us of the responsibility of finding a real job for a candidate. When job-seekers fail to get past the interview, which we know is a foregone conclusion, we tell them we have done our bit and it's their bad luck if they couldn't land a job, " said an ex-employee of another recruitment agency, adding that even the names of the girls at the front offices of these companies are fake. A separate investigation by XPRESS confirmed this.

Of late there has been a deluge of complaints against recruitment agencies in the country.

Dubai Gate, Al Amana, Core Elements, Al Aidy Al Mahirah, Al Waseela, New Future and Foreigners Management top the list. Yet the management of the recruitment agencies XPRESS spoke to deny any wrongdoing. However, they did admit that the earlier XPRESS exposé has hit their business badly. Recruitment agencies place job advertisements for fictitious positions. Unsuspecting job-seekers applying for these non-existent positions are asked to pay for registering their CVs, getting the application processed and interview charges. It's illegal for recruitment firms to charge any money from a job applicant.

Until recently each of these placement agencies used to make Dh25, 000 daily. According to the staff of one such firm, following the XPRESS report, their income has been reduced to a bare trickle. A Ministry of Labour official said it won't be long before their taps run completely dry.

XPRESS exposé that made an impact

Last September XPRESS exposed a rampant recruitment racket when a reporter created a dumbed-down CV (which included phrases such as "I am a dim-witted imbecile… I bring about a steady erosion of values and company ethics… and have hastened the doom of many companies") before registering it with several employment agencies for Dh300. The response was shocking. Within hours, he got calls for attractive job offers, with two Sharjah-based firms - Dubai Gate Management Consultancy and Al Aidy Al Mahirah - offering him appointment letters provided he paid them more money. One company, Al Waseela, even had the ridiculous position for an elephant trainer - in their zoo-cum-vet hospital in Canada.

Days numbered

A new ordinance issued by the Ministry of Labour on January 14 will make it virtually impossible for unscrupulous recruitment firms to operate in the UAE, a senior official told XPRESS.

"Recruitment agencies that fail to comply with the new rules by May 1 will be shut down, " warned the official.

Besides limiting the rights of setting up a private employment agency to Emiratis only, the ordinance stipulates that to be eligible to apply for a licence, every partner and signatory will have to be an Emirati.

The ordinance includes mechanisms to reduce malpractices and also stipulates guarantees and commitments from agencies. For instance, recruitment agencies have to present a bank security cheque of Dh1 million to peruse its activities in temporary employment, and Dh300, 000 for broker activities.

They have to also set aside Dh2, 000 for each worker which the Ministry of Labour will use to compensate if they are not paid by their employers. The agency will have to also ensure that employees do not pay any fees in the Emirates or abroad to secure their job.

Dear listen to my words carefully,
I received a lady call from this no.+[protected] that tomorrow at evening you have an interview in free zone semi government organization because your c.v is short listed for your subject post, i asked him that you informed me about company deatail & client job interview call send on my e-mail address but they send me sms on my mobile, i search this company detail from website, some people posted comments about this company fraud, then i call mrs afshan who, s mobile no.[protected] was mention for interview & other detail. i asked him about my interview he can not satisfy to me, i trace him like a cheater, by "God" i requested from UAE official that take strict action against this bogus employment firm as per UAE law. Please to avoid job seekers from this fraud. i safe due to posted comments, there for i also post all detail to safe job seekers. Qamar Abbas Pakistani

Todayafternoon I got a call from Core Elements for an interview. The lady on the phone said that I had applied with their company and an interview can be arranged tomorrow at 10 or 11 a.m. I was quite surprized by two things that the interview was being held on a Friday and there was an option for time slot with a difference of one hour.How can the interviewer at high position ( She said their General Manager will take the interview) wait for a candidate for one hour. I told her I dont remeber applying to their company on which is rumbled something which i cleary didnt understand. She was in a hurry to finish the call. I asked her details about the prospective company, job profile etc but she still couldnt convince me. Later she sent me the SMS with their office location. In the SMS i noticed one more thing. It said Core Elements on behlaf of the client. When on the phone she told me it was for their company and the SMS said its for a client. I was surprized. I still thought let me go and check after all their office is on Sheikh Zayed Road ( Thats a trapi guess) However something urgent work on my personal front arised and I thought I should call back the lady and tell her to reschedule my interview. No one picked the call. the number I had received was a mobile number. If its a mobile number atleast sometime latter in the day she should have called back but that didnt happen. All this was making me little uncomfortable so I thought let me check their site and this is where I landed. And I thank god that I came to know what I was going to get into. I dont plan to go for their interview anymore. Advise others also not to go for it. If there are no calls from them even for intial interview with the client and more over they take money then it is obviously duping people.

I have attended an interview with them before 4 months and found they are fake. When they call me for interview, they never said, for wt position, wt is the scale of salary etc. During the interview, the questions were very simple, the toughest question was " tell me about yourself" " y u want to quit the current job " Today, i got the call one more time, therefore i wanted to know the profile of the company and browsed. Thanks to COMPLAINTSBOARD.COM. I am not going to attend the interview tomorrow with them.

As getting money from job seekers is not allowed by UAE law, they are using a special terminology called " CV WRITTERS". They will say, they will write a attractive CV for you and ask for money. PLS DONT PAY, Coz, your CV is already good enough.

AHMED.

I am seriously loving this website... First of all, I would like to thank the person who took the time to inform everyone about these snakes... If it wasn't for him, I would've been another sad victim. I just got back from the interview a few hours ago, I went through everything as mentioned above my almost everyone and halfway through the interview I was asked to pay 200 Dhs but thank God I had forgot all my money and cards in my car downstairs, I told her I will go downstairs to get the money and will go back upstairs to pay her. While I was going downstairs to bring the money I started having questions in mind about this company and began to sense that it's a scam, this is when I immediately googled them on my I Phone downstairs and thankfully landed on this page. The only thing that is bothering me the most is that I had to drive back & force all the way from AD to get to their place. Oh well

I am reading all this too late. I also got the text and went for the "interview" today, and ended up paying 300AED for the woman to update my CV (which would take 7 to 10 days) and then I would have to authorize them to continue with my application with this large company (not even named). So does anyone out there have anything at all positive to report about this company? Have they found jobs for ANYONE? Do they actually send you an updated resume? I cannot find anything positive at all on any of the hundreds of web sites which mention this company. Surely if they are fraud, then the strict laws in this country would have stopped them by now, no?

Dear Lebbo:
I am a victim also, They say they will update your CV but it takes them 2 weeks to send it to you and it is not done professionally. Going by the feedback that i have received from employers which have called me after I submitted my CV it was not up to their standars and I had to submit my old CV which I had prepared. Also it is all a scam as you see nobody has gotten a callback for a job at all. I am sorry this happened to you. i was offered a job by cannon group as well as most of the candidates. be careful next time.

Regards

Dear Lebbo,

I also feel sorry about you paying 300dhs for this kind of interview. Yes, they are going to provide you a CV for which you have paid but there is no vacancy or a real job offer. On the contract it says there that the payment is for CV Building only and is not giving you a guarantee that they will find a job. But on the interview, they will verbally tell you that they are going to give you a job and that the interview is for a job vacancy and that they are conducting the interview in behalf of their clients which i don't know on earth which company will take the service of these ### for HR Services.

A lot of companies already know what Core Elements is all about. Please let me us know who conducted your interview so we can do something about it.

According to a reliable source from labour court, there is already a case filed against this company and that the hearing will start this week. Unfortunately, the date has not been revealed. More than 30 people filed a complaint against them and i don't think they can get out from this mess.

Core Elements is still operational these days, but their license is expired. Don't believe whatever they will tell you. Everything abou this company is FAKE!

P.S.
Please check the pictures posted and let us all know who did your interview.

Once more i am posting their pictures

I am also a victim of their scam, now I want to get back my money. Anybody victim interested to join me please e-mail me suresh_276@yahoo.com

Another thing some of the interviews are being conducted by some South Africans. One of them is Ms. Amy Brown which I doubt that is her real name. I do not know how some people offer themselves to do this to people. It is a shame and she seemed so nice. I should have known when she started complimenting me from the get go of my experience. So Amy Brown I hope you read this and God will judge you accordingly not us ! Find a real job and not with unethical people! Or is that you lack the education and morals to do so ? Because the first name I am bringing up in court is your name. You are an accomplice to unethical business activities. Let's see how nice you look behind bars.

Yes the one that "interviewed" me in the picture on right is the one in black (on the right side). I think her name was Fazanna or something like this? I still cannot believe that after so many complants and postings on the internet, these people have been allowed to get away with this in a country like the UAE, with such strict rules! It astounds me!

Yes the one that interviewed me in the picture on right is the one in black (on the right side). I think her name was Fazanna or something like this? I still cannot believe that after so many complants and postings on the internet, these people have been allowed to get away with this in a country like the UAE, with such strict rules! It astounds me!

the one on the pictures are (left) Farzana Shaikh and (right) Afshan Shaikh.These are the scammers. And the owner is Anas Al Habbal, a Syrian and is a Network Engineer based on Linkedln.

Its been 12 days and I still have not heard back from them. They havent even sent me a new resume...

Dear lebboo:

I suggest that you go there and raise hell. Tell them to return your money and you will see that you get it ! Do not leave wihout it. believe me they will give it to you. I couln't do it because I had lost the receipt they had given me. They want to avoid that anybody sitting in the waiting room know what is going on.

Do it !

I friends I am very recent victims of these fraud scam agencies. I regret why I didn’t do credibility check on this agency form the market and I miss to read all the above complain. I got a similar approach and was happy to be visited. They are sitting in a posh area and having expensive office space never believe it was a fraud agency. I paid them 300 AED. I am trying reaching form past 3 day to that lady but not answer. I did noted why a receptionist have a Laptop whereas normally it should be desktop now I realized that they keep moving there places. I feel like complaining and getting them being bars and return our harden money.

Mustafa

Hi Mustafa,
Please can you send the mobile phone of this girl?
I am in contact with the police.
Best regards,
Hassna

Funny thing:

Yesterday, I received a call from Core Elements again ! The indian lady asked me if I have ever received a call from them and I went off on her and I told them that I knew of them and that they were thieves and that they were cheating people left and right and she hung up immediately ! I called her back several hours later and asked her why she is working on Fridays! She said that they worked fridays and I could come in the next day. Obviously she did not know who she was speaking to. These people will not rest until they can scam all employee seekers. By the way I know where they get their info. It is from dubizzle ! So, if you have a advertisement for employment there. Rest assured they will definetely call you ! Since, they are so unprofessional and they do not know their ### from their face they will eventually get caught !
Regards

Hello Deb2000,
Are they working today? I want to visit them with the Police... They took me 300 AED...
Caroline

Hi Caroline:
Yes, they are working today ! She told me they would be in their offices !
Do it ! Enough is enough ! They have to pay for what they have done to so many people. But do you really think the police will do it ? Since they have been working like this for so many years !

Regards

I emailed them to see what has happened with my "job application" and my "updated CV". No response aftetr several days. It has been over 2 weeks since this happened to me. They took my money and I have received nothing in return.

THANK YOU GUYS FOR YOUR COMMENTS.
i RECIEVED A CALL FROM CORE ELEMENTS AND THE LADY TOLD ME THAT I HAD BEEN SHORTLISTED FOR AN INTERVIEW FOR A MULTINATIONAL COMPANY.SHE SAID THAT THE INTERVIEW WOULD BE HELD ON SHAIKH ZAYED ROAD DUBAI.SHE ASKED ME WHAT TIME WOULD BE SUITABLE TO ME, I SAID THAT 11 IS FINE.SHE SAID THAT WE WILL SEND YOU A SMS REGARDING LOCATION. THE NUMBER WAS [protected].
I WAS HAPPY TO RECIEVE MY FIRST INTERVIEW CALL IN 2 MONTHS.THANKS TO ALLAH THAT I JUST GOOGLED THIS COMPANY AND FOUND THIS PAGE.THANKS GUYZ

Well after several emails demanding to see my updated CV, they finally did send me something along with a generic cover letter. Both the CV and cover letter are very poor quality, with poor grammar, poor english and a standard much worse than my original CV. They have simply used an online template and inserted the information I provided for them. Absolute trash! Oh and no mention of the amazing job offer they propsed for me to con me intop paying the money in the first place...So now step 2. They have scammed me and its no longer about my 300AED- I am lucky enough to be able to afford the 300 AED, but what about these poor lower salary earners who these cheats are scamming, and providing false hope to! COmpletely unacceptable. So now, I will turn up to their office in the coming days, and demand my money back and throw their trashy CV in their faces. If they refuse I will not leave the premises until I get what I want- and I will make sure I go when their reception if filled with people. Be warned Core Elements- I am coming after you. I will then write an official report to the police and seek some legal advice from a local lawyer friend I have. I recommend others do the same to put a stop to these criminals. They are obviously making so much money from innocent people who do are in need of a job. By the way, the emails they sent the documents were:
dataentry1@coreelementsmc.com
and
Afshan Shaikh (afshan@coreelementsmc.com)
and
farzana@coreelementsmc.com (Farzana Shaikh)

Hi lebbo:

This is exactly what I was trying to tell you. that they will not update your CV to the standards you obviously did not need in the first place.. Believe me, if I still had my receipt I would accompany you there to raise hell ! Good Luck ! I believe that if anybody has their receipt they should go there or stand outside and tell the people not to go in. That it is a fake interview. I know for a fact they will return the money to the people since, they do not want to cause a commotion and let the people in the waiting room know what they are doing.
Regards

Hi all,

I just want to inform you guys that there has been a case filed for this company.they already have screened around 30people and was not able to have a job, they all paid the registration fee or what they call for CV Building fees.you can visit Dubai Courts for that. there are lesser employees working on that company now and im not sure if the company's license has been renewed and i doubt if they can still renew bacause of this complaints.

All employees working for that company is registered to MOGUL MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS( you can see the name of the compay listed on the same office.) It is very clear that MOgul Management is just a company being used in behalf of core elements since Core Elements has already been Black listed.You can try to check with labour and you will notice that the owner is the same-- Anas Al Habbal. they also have this Car Rental company called First Speed.

All of can try and ask the authorities and check if im lying ot not.

This company is closed. I visited their office today 19.5.11 as I wanted a follow up on the outcome of my interview. There was a notice outside their office stating CLOSED. They don’t exist anymore, so I guess there’s no need to complain. They are finished.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

They will open elsewhere since they already had a taste of how to con people. And they have done so in the past.What, I do not understand is how they functioned for so long with the government being as strict as it is. We will see the outcome of this. And if it is as kerry_uae says, I hope all of them are in jail.

yes... it's confirmed that Core Elements is already closed. But let's keep an eye on this company, because before it has been closed and their office is in Deira, near the clock tower before they opened an office in Crowne Plaza and finally in Grosvenor Commercial tower. there has been a news that the sponsor of this company is a nephew of a Sheikh here in Dubai that's why the government can't do anything about it until now. It has been closed because of the new law against HR Consultancies and Manpower Agencies.

This only shows that the law in Dubai is strict, but not for those locals.

I agree totally anti-scam master. They are only here to prosecute the innocent and not the people at fault which are the locals. but you know what will happen eventually. That the people who have legit HR agencies are going to be hit very hard. Since many people do not have that trust anymore. So even now when I get a call fom any agency I check them out like a detective. I suggest everybody do the same. If they avoid questions asked ! Then they are not legit !

Damn, so I will not be able to visit them to demand my money back! I was hoping to do it this week. Does anyone know of another location I can find them?

They gave my cousin a contract and they promissed to call after one week, afshan wants to update the cv and send it to the clients :), mobile numbers are closed .. what a shame .

hi lebbo,

i heared from one of my reliable sources that Afshan Shaikh, which is the Relationship Manager of Core Elements is still working on the same office, Grosvenor Commercial Tower 2309. but when you ring the bell, they won't open it. there are still people working inside, updating CV's probably to be sent to those who paid, but there are no jobs waiting for them as usual.try to visit their office in the evening at 6pm onwards.wait them to the door and take your money back.

Too late to read this. I paid 300Dhs which was equal amount I used to spent on my monthly grocery just to get the a job. Really bad people. Please be aware.

Dear Brothers & Sisters!
I have a bitter experinced as well when i reached to Aman Recuirtment situated at Renault Show Room Diera Dubai, where, in the rays of hopes and pressure of my compulsion, i paid 100 Dirham. I wonder how these cheeters are functioning openly in UAE & have no remorse to loot innocent jobseekers who undoubtely visit UAE with so many positive ways to work with dignity. Similarly, i faced such situation in Core Elements to whom i anticipatedly informed that i was not going to pay single penny as it is voilation of dubai rules. Please join hands togather and at least propagate this information about scams Recruiting Agencies. Please do take a burden to work on this so that innocent jobseeker could feel that this world is not full of trap but there are so many who are good at heart and dont trap people.

DO NOT FALL PREY TO THOSE GIVING POSITIVE FEEDBACKS ABOUT THOSE SCAM COMPANIES..GUYSSS THEY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WORKING IN THOSE COMPANIES SO THEY POST COMMENTS TO BRAIN WASH JOB SEEKERS..HAHHAA HUMAN PSYCHOLOGY THEY ARE PLAYING WITH GUYS...DONT BELIEVE THEM THEY ARE THEM PRETENDING TO TALK ABOUT THEA FRIENDS HAVING GOTTEN JOBS OR SUPPORTING THEM..RUBISHHH LIARS LIARS STOP DECEIVING PPLE..USELESS!

DECOLAB LLC, Dubai Cheating: This company was offered a job to one of my friends and asked him to work during the visit visa. Even after informing them it will be illegal to work during visit visa, they insisted to work during the visa. The really used the employee about a month and finally sent him back to the country with a promise of sending the visa for him. It never happened, they never paid him. and the poor guy lost the chance to get a job because of this in humane cruelty, lost money because of the travel and work related trips, and never got the payment for it. and later on come to know that they have done it with many employees and its their practice to take poor guys on visit visa, make them work, and sent them off. is there any way to stop this. forget the losses which is already happen to the victims. but atleast in this beautiful country and culture...let us work towards these kind of fraudulent organizations.

I had the same experiance with this company they called me for an interview and asked me to pay 300 dhs to increase my search and that was it i never heard from them since then i visited them again they said they will update my search but nothing happened this company is steeling money from clients for nothing be carfull people.