The American Market Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade has uncovered a fake Chilean labour export company.
Labourers of export company (illustrative photo)
Daniel Thomas, Director of Danthom International Consultant Company in Santiago, is the head of the fraudulent operation.
This company advertised online that it was recruiting over 100 workers for employment in Chile for two years as engineers, drivers, gardeners or repairmen. The lowest wage they offered was USD950, rising to USD2,200 per month for eight hours work and Sunday off. The workers were also to be provided with homes and meals and social insurance.
With such an attractive offer, many Vietnamese enterprises contacted Danthom to discuss contracts. After receiving proposals, the Danthom Company responded with their detailed requirements and offers. These letters not only had the signatures of Director Daniel Thomas but were certified by a Chilean notary office.
Vietnamese enterprises were asked to send the visas of the selected workers to an address in Chile so Danthom could ask for work permits at the Chilean Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
After the 91 visas had been sent, the Danthom Company sent a draft contract with a brokerage fee, visa costs and taxes for the Chilean government of around USD2,900. Most of Vietnamese enterprises accepted the fees.
However, some Vietnamese enterprise also requested that Danthom presented their business license but the company said they would only send the license once they received the visa of all the selected workers.
On July 23, the Vietnam Trade Office in Chile investigated Danthom after receiving a request from several Vietnamese enterprises and discovered that Danthom International Consultant Company was not registered as a business in Chile.
Vietnam's Commercial Counsellor and Ambassador in Chile met with Bruno Baranda, sub-secretary of the Chilean Labour Ministry to discuss Danthom's business license. Baranda said the Ministry of Labour didn't have the authority to provide business licenses and that Danthom's license was false.
The American Department said though the visas have been sent off, Vietnamese businesses had not been too severely affected as they had ceased their relationship with the fake firm in time.
The Vietnam Trade Office in Chile has also transferred the case to the Chilean Ministry of Labour to investigate and recover the visas.
