Offshore certification scam
We have been alerted to fraudsters hosting websites offering certification which they claim workers need before being allowed offshore in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).
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We have been alerted to fraudsters hosting websites offering certification which they claim workers need before being allowed offshore in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS). The fraudsters may describe themselves as regulators and give the impression that they are an official part of the UK’s offshore safety regime.
They advise that, for workers who have no training qualifications and are looking for employment in the UKCS, there is a requirement that came into effect in November 2013 to obtain an offshore ID Certificate. The enquirer completes an online application which prompts a telephone call instructing them to make a payment after which they will receive their certification.
There is no such requirement or regulation that requires this to be done.
All workers engaged in the offshore oil and gas sector must complete certain mandatory courses, such as offshore survival, in addition to any company specific courses, before being allowed to work offshore – there are no exemptions and the provision of the ID certificate allowing this is false. These websites may display a variety of industry branding including for example the logos of DECC, HSE and those of major UKCS Operators.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change advises anyone who is made aware of a website of this kind to report the matter to the police (call 101, the non-emergency contact number) either directly or through Action Fraud.