If you get cheated as a China foreign teacher... You are not helpless...

Discussion about jobs in Asia inc. Middle East

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Vagabond
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If you get cheated as a China foreign teacher... You are not helpless...

Unread post by Vagabond »

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I would guesstimate that maybe half of all expat foreign AP, Subject, Art, IB, TOEFL, IELTS, and TEFL teachers working in China get screwed over at least once for $1,000 or far more. Whether they get cheated out of genuine ignorance, their own gullibility, or were "too busy" (or too lazy) to do any due diligence, it doesn't matter. The point is you can either be a quiet and passive victim and just learn from your mistake and move on (the choice of most). The other alternative is to fight back and teach the cheater a lesson they will never forget! My colleague and I both chose this option...

Since China has no equivalent of the BBB (Better Business Bureau) or FTC (Federal Trade Commission) if you do have a problem you have to make a police report and send a copy to the Minister of Labor and Minister of Education with a complaint letter. Yes, I know it sounds very bureaucratic and it is. But in China it actually works IF on your cover letter you include a few cc: at the bottom to:

CC:
Foreign Minister Wang Yi (or whoever it may be at the time
SAFEA Executive Director Pan Gongsheng (or whoever it may be at the time)
Chairman CCP Disciplinary Committee Wang QiShan (Or whoever it may be at the time)


It is easy to get the mailing addresses from the internet or a CFTU newsletter. Send them an email or visit https://reddit.com/r/cftu . I used this trick twice and it worked both times, and on the second instance the agent who was selling resumes and passport scans (including mine!) to anyone who had $50 was deported with a permanent re-entry ban. A colleague of mine also used it on a black school called EZ English and a SAFEA rep went with two cops and shut them down for operating without a SAIC business license. The owner was fined 100,000 rmb and my colleague was paid the 22,000 in back pay owed to him, and even got his release letter. That school re-opened after getting a SAIC biz license and posting a performance bond. But I guarantee you they never screwed over another foreign teacher. BTW, we had originally gotten this advice from a CTA newsletter.

But one thing I noticed about China officials... They really have no incentive to do their jobs unless they see that another official higher up on the ladder is being advised of the situation and getting copies of everything.


WARNING! If you are not 100% legally working in China with a Z visa and a verifiable university diploma, do not report your problem to anyone in the government or YOU WILL BE ARRESTED< FINED< JAILED AND DEPORTED! Your principal will say good-bye to you with your money still in her pocket and a big smirky grin on her face

Of course, you could avoid this whole mess completely and spend 15 minutes of your life bookmarking and using this link before you ever apply for another job again: https://www.reddit.com/r/TEFLScams
Before taking any teaching job in China make a quick visit over to https://reddit.com/r/ChinaScamCentral and https://reddit.com/r/TEFLreviews so your dream job does not become a nightmare.
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Atlas
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Re: If you get cheated as a China foreign teacher... You are not helpless...

Unread post by Atlas »

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Hopefully expat teachers in China learn their 22 employee rights and start standing up for themselves. If you don't know what these 22 employee rights are get them IN ENGLISH at https://reddit.com/r/chinateachers or in Chinese at https://safea.gov.cn
Look Before You Leap at https://reddit.com/r/teflscams
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Blue Moon
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Re: If you get cheated as a China foreign teacher... You are not helpless...

Unread post by Blue Moon »

Here is a great way to always get what is owed to you, including a release letter, and a $3,000 bonus! https://ruqqus.com/+TeachInChina/post/8 ... ped-off-or
Watch your step in China. There is a pile of shit waiting for your foot around every corner that only laowai seem to step in. See https://reddit.com/r/workabroadfraud.
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Atlas
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Re: If you get cheated as a China foreign teacher... You are not helpless...

Unread post by Atlas »

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In case the SAFEA link gets deleted/censored, save this link here (in case you get cheated in the future https://www.reddit.com/r/ChinaScamCentr ... n_collect/ And take note of the following;

The PSB and SAFEA have jointly reactivated their old rewards program from 2015 in an effort to shut down illegal black market recruiters, job agents, black schools and training centers as well as fake teachers who have been sneaking into the country to earn record high salaries.


Informants need not use their own names to file a report and collect the $3,000 reward. In case the above link is zapped, book mark this post or do a screen print. What makes an illegal recruiter or job agent? Well, one that:

* Does not have a physical office in China

* Does not have an active SAIC business license

* Is not registered with SAFEA

* Does not have a valid TAX ID number in China

* Charges you more than 1 months salary

* Makes you sign an illegal contract that violates or forfeits your employee rights


All of the above violates China labor laws so this reward program should keep recruiters and agents honest OR using completely fake names so you can't report them.

What makes and illegal black school or training center? Those that;

- They have no SAIC business license

- They are not registered with SAFEA

- They have no tax ID number

- They let you work without a Z visa


You can also make the report by mail to:


Director Pan GongSheng
SAFEA Rewards Program
Huarong Plaza, No.18 Fucheng Road,
Haidian District,
Beijing , PRC 100048


WARNING... if you are not working 100% legally in China with a Z visa and a verifiable diploma, have someone else make the report or you will get yourself arrested, jailed for 30 days, fined 10,000 rmb and then deported with a 5 year reentry ban.

The telephone hotline number is: 86-10-6840-1188

If you are calling from inside Beijing just dial 6840-1188 and ask for Crystal or Song, both of whom speak fluent English.
Look Before You Leap at https://reddit.com/r/teflscams
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Prometheus
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Re: If you get cheated as a China foreign teacher... You are not helpless...

Unread post by Prometheus »

Thank you for this useful info, but I have a question... Is there a "Statute of Limitation" to collect this reward since it was over two years ago when I was cheated by a black training center (am I allowed to say the name here?). They got me for 17,000 rmb and never gave me my release letter. At least I can recover what they stole from me if it is not too late to report their ass???
The best TEFL advice I ever got is at https://reddit.com/r/tefl_tips_traps_scams and right here at TEFL.net.
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Blue Moon
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Re: If you get cheated as a China foreign teacher... You are not helpless...

Unread post by Blue Moon »

Your question is a good one P. I would think that so long as the school is still cheating people, it would not matter who reports them. But there is a PSB officer who comes to English corner every Friday night so I will make a note to ask him this question. But now I have a question for you... How many of your friends and colleagues in China have not been cheated out of at least $3,000 a year - one way or another?
Watch your step in China. There is a pile of shit waiting for your foot around every corner that only laowai seem to step in. See https://reddit.com/r/workabroadfraud.
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