Fake vacancy announcements have been repeatedly circulated in the name of the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF) and the UN Department of Field Support (UNDFS) via non-UN websites and email imitating UN email addresses. In some cases, correspondence falsely signed in the name of real UNDEF officials has ensued, asking would-be applicants to part with copies of personal documents and even money.

As part of the UN Secretariat, UNDEF and UNDFS posts job vacancies only at careers.un.org and, in the cases of temporary vacancy announcements, on the UN Secretariat intranet site iSeek. Please disregard any emails, or non-UN websites, purporting to announce UNDEF and UNDFS job vacancies, and pass on this warning to anyone you think may be affected.

The United Nations is aware of various schemes, being circulated via e-mails, from the Internet web sites, and via regular mail or fax, falsely stating that they are issued by or associated with the United Nations.

These schemes may seek to extract money and in some cases personal details from the recipients of such correspondence. Such schemes are fraudulent.

The schemes consist of letters, sent either via e-mail, fax, regular mail, or from web sites, which appear as various proposals from people purporting to be officials of the United Nations, its Funds and Programmes and other United Nations entities. The correspondence and other documents, e-mails addresses and web sites may be made to look like they originate from the United Nations. For example, they may contain official-looking United Nations stationery, including the United Nations emblem or name, or some variation thereof, and e-mail or web site addresses, including either or both of the words "United Nations" or some similar name, or the name of a real United Nations entity or fictitious one.

The schemes, which have no connection whatsoever with the United Nations or the United Nations System of organizations, take many forms. New schemes are appearing with increasing frequency. A sampling of such employment scams include:

Employment Scams

Offers of employment or job openings with requests for payment of fees are fraudulent. The scammers' request for the payment of fees may come only after you have accepted the fraudulent offer. 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. Any requests for such payment or information should be refused and reported to local law enforcement authorities for appropriate action and to the United Nations for its information.

Convocations to e-mail interviews are fraudulent. The United Nations does not conduct interviews via e-mail.

Entities falsely alleging an association with United Nations recruitment activities include "US Committee for UN", "United Nations Center for Development Initiative" and "United Nations Global Military Intelligence". Many others may also exist.

Other Scams include:

Entities such as:

• "United Analyze", falsely claiming to be supported by the United Nations;
• the "National Awareness Program on HIV/AIDS" and the "Mutual Partnership" program, both falsely claiming to be associates with the United Nations Secretary-General;
• the "International Governmental Organization", falsely linked to UNHCR, UNESCO and the IMF.
• the "United Nations Lottery" (not in fact connected with the United Nations) and a false claim that the United Nations has endorsed the "British Lottery International";
• the "United Nations Organization Anti-Terrorism/Money Laundering Unit" (not in fact connected with the United Nations) requiring payment for what are termed "Anti-Terrorism Money Laundering Certificates" in relation to non-existent "United Nations Stop Orders" (also not connected with the United Nations) on payments of funds;
• the "United Nations NGO Committee for Social Development" (not in fact connected with the United Nations) falsely advertising job openings and offering employment;
• the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) (not in fact connected with the United Nations) falsely advertising job openings and offering employment; and
• Communications falsely stating that they are issued by actual United Nations entities, such as the "Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)", and offering money, employment, free travel and visas.

SUCH USE OF THE UNITED NATIONS NAME AND EMBLEM OR OTHER NAMES OR INDICIA IN THESE SCHEMES IS UNAUTHORIZED AND ILLEGAL. THE RELEVANT AUTHORITIES WILL BE INFORMED OF ANY SUCH ACTIVITIES, OF WHICH THE UNITED NATIONS BECOMES AWARE, FOR APPROPRIATE ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY THOSE AUTHORITIES.

EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED IN RELATION TO ANY SUSPICIOUS COMMUNICATION AS FINANCIAL LOSS AND IDENTITY THEFT COULD RESULT FROM THE SENDING OF MONEY OR PERSONAL INFORMATION TO THOSE ISSUING SUCH FRAUDULENT CORRESPONDENCE.

If you become aware of suspicious job openings or offers of employment, kindly bring this to our attention using the following link:
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