For information only - not an official document
UNIS/INF/379
26 July 2010
VIENNA, 26 July (UN Information Service) - The United Nations is concerned that fraudulent correspondence using the Organization's name and emblem is circulating worldwide via websites, e-mails, fax messages and phone calls.
As the number of reported fraudulent cases increases around the world, the United Nations is warning the public about illicit schemes to solicit money and, in many cases, personal information from private individuals, using the United Nations name and emblem.
The public should be aware that:
- The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process. A link to a special section with information on employment frauds, called "Fraud Alert", using the United Nations name and emblem, has been placed on the front page of the Organization's employment and careers portal, careers.un.org. Moreover, every job opening posted on the portal carries the following standard "no fee" statement: "The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, training or any other fees). The United Nations does not concern itself with information on bank accounts."
- The United Nations does not request information from individuals concerning their bank accounts or other private information.
- The United Nations does not offer prizes, awards, funds, certificates, or scholarships through e-mail, mail, fax or phone calls, unless such offers have been officially authorized and, if so, they would be communicated only through official channels. The United Nations does not conduct lotteries or compensate victims of fraud.
- The United Nations strongly recommends that recipients of solicitations such as those described above exercise extreme caution, and that they do not respond to requests for the transfer of funds or for the provision of private information. Financial loss and identity theft could result from the transfer of money or the provision of personal information to those issuing such fraudulent correspondence. Targets and/or victims of deceptive solicitations may wish to consider reporting them to their national law enforcement authorities for appropriate action.
Anyone with doubts about the authenticity of an e-mail, letter or telephone communication purportedly from, for, or on behalf of the United Nations or its officials, is encouraged to send an e-mail through
www.un.org/en/aboutun/fraudalert/contactform.asp?address=1.
For additional information, please visit
www.un.org/en/aboutun/fraudalert.
* *** *
