Avoiding English Language Teaching Job Scams at Home and Abroad

Scams in English Language Teaching
These are definitely some interesting insights into one of the problems and pitfalls of being an EFL professional a couple of which are intricately detailed at ESL Daily. It is most unfortunate that scams in English Language Teaching abroad are on the rise. Not only are EFL teaching job scams becoming a problem, but other types of scams as well. This can be especially true in Mexico and Latin America. The "Latin Fantasy", "Pesca Milagrosa" and "Pacquete Chileno" are some of the most commonly-attempted fleecing operations encountered by foreigners. Locals target you because they know your communicative ability in the local language may well be limited or virtually non-existent and you lack an in-depth knowledge of local culture, procedures and customs.

Use Your Own Common Sense
Common sense would dictate that when considering employment abroad, a prospective EFL teacher should use common sense in investigating any job offers, searching for jobs posted online only at reputable TEFL jobs sites and consider what is being offered in the way of salary, and amenities and benefits with a truly cautious, but informed eye. If you suspect that a posted EFL job is a scam, you should notify the job board where the job was posted and contact me on this blog or e-mail me directly at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com I’ll try to help you in making an informed decision and in notifying others in the TEFL community of the offender. You can also contact local and national government offices, the police and official websites to inform them of your plight, if or when you fall into a problem.

Not Just TEFL Jobs Can Have Scams Involved
Teaching English as a Foreign Language abroad jobs however, are not the only types of scams you should watch out for. There are numerous others which are targeted to the unwary foreigner, as we’ve mentioned earlier. In upcoming posts, I’ll detail some of the most common of these to help you to be aware of what these scams and cons look and sound like. Again, the best defense against being ripped off, is your own finely-tuned common sense and informed preparation for living and working abroad. You should also visit the forums on ESL Daily and others linked to above for additional input and information. You do not need to become a scam victim or remain a victim. There are many of us in the TEFL community who are willing to assist you in making your EFL teaching dreams a pleasant, memorable reality. There are a multitude of serious teaching jobs available for those willing to qualify and search for them. We’ll be seeing you with more information on this topic shortly.


Prof. Larry M. Lynch is an EFL Teacher Trainer, Intellectual Development Specialist, prolific writer, author and public speaker. He has written ESP, foreign language learning, English language teaching texts and hundreds of articles used in more than 100 countries. Get your FREE Home-Schooling E-book, "If You Want to Teach English Abroad, Here’s What You Need to Know" by requesting the title at: lynchlarrym@gmail.com Need a blogger or copywriter to promote your school, institution, service or business or an experienced writer and vibrant SEO content for your website, blog or newsletter? Then E-mail me for further information.