Seafarer job scams: 8 warning signs and how to check
Every year seafarers lose money and documents to fake vacancies: “second engineer urgently needed, pay the processing fee”. The key rule is simple: under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC 2006), seafarers are not charged for being recruited.
8 warning signs
- They ask for money: “processing”, “visa fee”, “medical with our doctor”, “deposit”.
- They only use messengers, and the email is a free mailbox (@gmail.com) instead of a company domain.
- They rush you: “we hold the place until tonight, transfer now”.
- The salary is clearly above the market for your rank and vessel type.
- No office, address or website — or a website made last week.
- The vessel can’t be found in public ship databases.
- They want scans of your passport, seaman’s book and bank card straight away.
- The contract arrives as a picture, without the shipowner’s details.
What to check before sending documents
Find the company website and call the number listed there, not the one in the message. Check that emails come from the company’s own domain.
Look up the vessel by IMO number in public maritime databases: type, flag, current position. Ask other seafarers if anyone has worked with this company.
If you already sent money or documents
- Call your bank at once: block the card and dispute the transfer.
- Keep the messages, numbers, links and receipts for a police report.
- Change your email and bank passwords and turn on two-factor protection.
- Warn other seafarers and the groups where you saw the vacancy.
How I can help
I check the company and the vessel with you, help write your CV and Application Form and send them to real companies, and secure your email and phone. I am a seafarer by training and have worked with Batumi crewing agencies for 20 years.