[Postgrad] FW: Potential Recruiter Scam

[Gordon Robb]

Dear all,

Please see below regarding a potential recruitment scam flagged by a PGR student in Maths. If you experience or know of similar incidents we’d be interested to hear about them.

Regards

Gordon

----
Dr. Gordon Robb
Department of Physics & SUPA
University of Strathclyde
John Anderson Building
107 Rottenrow
Glasgow, G4 0NG,
Scotland, U.K.

From: Christine Dowds <christine.dowds at strath.ac.uk>
Sent: Thursday, March 7, 2024 4:57 PM
To: Gordon Robb <g.r.m.robb at strath.ac.uk>; Yashar Moshfeghi <yashar.moshfeghi at strath.ac.uk>; Alastair Wark <alastair.wark at strath.ac.uk>; Christine Dufes <c.dufes at strath.ac.uk>; Christine Davidson <c.m.davidson at strath.ac.uk>; Craig McMurray <craig.mcmurray at strath.ac.uk>
Subject: FW: Potential Recruiter Scam

Dear all,
Please see below – might be worth warning your students about such scams.
Best wishes,
Christine.

From: Irene Spencer <irene.spencer at strath.ac.uk<mailto:irene.spencer at strath.ac.uk>>
Sent: Thursday, March 7, 2024 2:57 PM
To: Christine Dowds <christine.dowds at strath.ac.uk<mailto:christine.dowds at strath.ac.uk>>; Stephen Smith <stephen.m.smith at strath.ac.uk<mailto:stephen.m.smith at strath.ac.uk>>
Subject: FW: Potential Recruiter Scam

Hi

I am copying the email below to you to make you both aware of an issue raised by one of our PGR students.

We wondered if it would be worth you highlighting this issue to other departments in the faculty Christine?

Best wishes,
Irene
Irene Spencer
Postgraduate Officer
Department of Mathematics & Statistics
Livingstone Tower
26 Richmond Street
GLASGOW    G1 1XH


Tel:      ++44  (0)141 548 3382
Fax:     ++44  (0)141 548 3345
email:   irene.spencer at strath.ac.uk<mailto:irene.spencer at strath.ac.uk>

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From: Michael Brown <michael.brown at strath.ac.uk<mailto:michael.brown at strath.ac.uk>>
Sent: 07 March 2024 14:25
To: Michael Heath <m.heath at strath.ac.uk<mailto:m.heath at strath.ac.uk>>; Douglas Speirs <d.c.speirs at strath.ac.uk<mailto:d.c.speirs at strath.ac.uk>>; Ke Chen <k.chen at strath.ac.uk<mailto:k.chen at strath.ac.uk>>; Sandra Miller <s.j.miller at strath.ac.uk<mailto:s.j.miller at strath.ac.uk>>; Irene Spencer <irene.spencer at strath.ac.uk<mailto:irene.spencer at strath.ac.uk>>
Subject: Potential Recruiter Scam



I want to bring to attention an encounter I had with a recruiter on LinkedIn, which has raised some concerns regarding the potential for our students to be targeted by a recruitment scam.

A recruiter from IG Recruit contacted me with an opportunity at Sigma Solutions, a company purportedly based in Glasgow and specialising in mathematical modelling. Investigating into the company and its CEO, I have discovered several red flags. The CEO has faced multiple court cases related to non-payment of wages and scamming vendors, with judgements against him, and is currently involved in a case in the Scottish courts.

The recruiter, after my refusal, has reached out again suggesting another role with a different company. However, he requested my unpublished thesis and CV without providing detailed information about the role or the company made me suspicious. I chose not to engage further and blocked the recruiter.

I’m concerned for other students, particularly those approached with the lure of an interview in exchange for submitting their unpublished thesis and the risk of their work being stolen or misused. The local presence of this company means students could be more vulnerable.

While it may or may not be significant, I feel it is essential for the faculty to be aware of this situation.


Thanks,

Michael
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