October 8, 2021
You have the power to prevent fraud
Throughout history, workers, individually or collectively, have had great successes when they decide to demand the protection of their labor rights. Migrant H-2 guestworkers in the United States have also undertaken this same fight.
When workers seek temporary employment in the U.S. they are subject to plenty of abuse starting with the hiring process from intermediaries or recruiters who charge illegal fees in exchange for a job offer. In some highly unethical and abusive cases, they even offer fake jobs, taking advantage of those looking for employment and demanding fees that range from $100 pesos to 60 thousand pesos and more (roughly between 5 and 3,000 dollars)
This is why we at CDM are working towards preventing fraud in recruitment and hiring processes involving migrant workers. We have identified patterns and warning signs that can help prevent fraud related to non-existent job offers. But migrant workers themselves are the key to avoiding this type of abuse, by raising their voice and taking action.
Information is vital for migrant workers
When you learn about how the recruitment and hiring processes for migrant guestworkers are supposed to work, then you have the power to identify and recognize deception and fraud. Nowadays, social media is a powerful tool that helps amplify fraud prevention messages and efforts so they can reach more people, no matter where they live.
The power behind reporting fraud
Suffering through any type of deception or fraud, and not being able to get our money or our documents back can be extremely frustrating. But not all is lost. There is always something we can do so other people don’t go through a similar situation. CDM has many tools at its disposal to help you socially expose those who did you wrong.
Contratados.org has a “reviews” section where you can write anonymous tips, at no cost. You can share your experience with fraud at the hand of a recruiter or recruiting agency, the working conditions you endured as a guestworker in the United States, and the treatment you received from your employer. This website serves as a kind of thermometer that can help workers make important decisions when they are seeking employment.
You can send us a voice note via Whatsapp telling us what happened to you and, with your consent, we can publish it in Contratados.org’s social media. Your message can reach others in time to avoid being cheated as well. Raising our voice can be a little step towards big change.
We’ve noticed that by sharing testimonies, others can feel inspired to raise their voice as well, to search for information and tools to help them make better decisions. It has helped some workers avoid paying from 100 to 20 thousand pesos (approx. 5 to 1,000 dollars) for non-existent job offers in the United States. The amount saved can have, in the long run, a great impact on the finances of Mexican families.
We know security is a primary concern for many when deciding to take action. It is normal to be scared about the possible consequences. But giving up should not be our only option. There is always something we can do to advance justice in guestworker programs, especially in the recruitment process.
Throughout the last 16 years, CDM has worked to shed light on the systemic flaws of the guestworker programs, including the H-2 programs, from recruitment to the workplace: lack of transparency and access to information with regards to hiring criteria, a weak official registry of contractors and recruiting agencies in Mexico, the lack of accountability for employers in the United States throughout the hiring process, and the abuse faced by migrant workers in their workplaces in the United States.
To learn more about fraud prevention or about your labor rights, follow is on Facebook (@CDMigrante and @Contratados.org) or contact Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, Inc (CDM), at 800-590-1773 from Mexico or 1-855-234-9699 from the United States. If you would like to speak with someone in mixteco, you can reach us at 953-554-0517. Our services are free and confidential.