Beware of cruise ship job recruitment scams

With the worldwide coronavirus pandemic forcing many people to seek employment opportunities, there have been increased reports of cruise ship recruitment scams.

Fraudsters create official-looking websites or profiles on social media are luring potential victims. Most often these job offers include application fees to be paid up front.

The popular cruise website Portal Cruceros reported that Genting Hong Kong Limited announced that fraudulent job offers are being made under its brand name Dream Cruises.

Fake accounts

The scammers are using a “Dream Cruise Ship Company” account. claiming they are recruiting people for the Genting Dream cruise ship. According to the fake job post In order to apply with the company applicants will have to pay for registration fees.

“The impostors used the trade name of the company Dream Cruises and the images, to carry out deceptive activities online through a fraudulent hiring advertisement,” said the company.“This fake recruitment advertisement is not related to or endorsed by the Company or any member of Dream Cruises and, as such, the Company will not accept any responsibility in relation to said recruitment advertisement or its related activities.”

4 arrested

Another job scam was reported by the portal The Star: Police in Singapore arrested 4 people for offering fake jobs on a cruise ship.

According to the report the fraudsters made their victims believe that by paying $180 to a company registered under one of the suspects, they could get a job on one of the cruise ships anchored in Singapore.

The arrested scammers convinced about 30 victims that the jobs were available starting Sept. 15.